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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


3fn  jHemortam 


HOWARD  GARDNER  NICHOLS 


* 


'■'•His  soul  was  made  for  the  noblest 
society.  Wherever  there  is  knowledge, 
wherever  there  is  virtue,  wherever 
there  is  beauty,  he  will  find  a  home  " 


CAMBRIDGE 

printeD  at  ttje  Mtocrsiue  pm 

MDCCCXCVII 


IS* 


BIOGKAPHICAL  SKETCH. 


BY    S.    L.    S. 


A  rarely  gifted  young  life  has  passed  from 
our  sight.  That  its  memory,  enshrined  in  loving 
hearts,  may  become  an  inspiration  to  others,  this 
memorial  is  prepared  by  one  who  knew  and  loved 
Gardner  Nichols  from  his  youth. 

Like  some  sweet  song  too  soon  ended,  his  life 
—  pure,  as  it  was  strong ;  simple,  as  it  was  he- 
roic —  is  worthy  of  the  imitation  of  the  young 
men  of  this  generation. 

Howard  Gardner  Nichols,  eldest  child  and 
only  son  of  John  Howard  and  Charlotte  Pea- 
body  Nichols,  was  born  April  16, 1871,  at  Haver- 
hill, Massachusetts,  where  his  earliest  years  were 
passed,  and  where  he  received  his  first  instruc- 
tion, at  a  private  kindergarten.  His  teacher 
writes :  "  What  a  glorious  truth  that  every  one 
forms  his  own  character.  Gardner  had  the  privi- 
lege of  carving  his  own  statue  ;  of  giving  an  ex- 
istence to  the  ideal  of  his  highest  thought  of  a 
man ;  of  cultivating  himself  into  the  noblest  con- 
ception of  faithfulness  in  stewardship.  His  life 
has  been  so  beautiful,  so  full  of  fruit  in  acts  and 
efforts,  that  I  shrink  from  adding  even  a  word ; 


550086 


4  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

he  was  my  idol.  For  two  short  years  it  was  my 
joy  to  teach  him,  and  to  feel  the  brightness  of 
his  sunny  presence." 

Removing  to  Newton,  he  entered  the  Bigelow 
School,  where  he  remained  until  fitted  for  the 
Boston  Latin  School.  In  the  summer  of  1881, 
with  his  father,  mother,  and  eldest  sister,  he  went 
to  Europe  for  three  months.  At  the  time  of  his 
graduation  from  Harvard  he  said  of  this  trip, 
"  Even  now  I  remember  most  of  what  I  saw  and 
did."  He  kept  a  little  diary,  very  brief  and 
boyish,  yet  clearly  pointing  to  the  tastes  of  later 
years.     We  give  a  few  extracts :  — 

"  July  18.  British  Museum  in  a.  m.  ;  Na- 
tional Gallery  in  p.  m.  ;  liked  Landseer's  dog 
pictures. 

"  July  20.  Rotterdam.  Drove  round  ;  saw 
many  windmills  ;  to  the  Hague  in  p.  M. ;  to  pic- 
ture gallery ;  saw  Paul  Potter's  bull  —  fine  pic- 
ture. 

"  July  26.  To  Munich  in  a.  m.  ;  women  work- 
ing in  fields ;  cows  ploughing  ;  saw  a  wild  deer  ; 
geese. 

"July  27-31.  Went  to  picture  galleries; 
bands  ;  soldiers  ;  Schiitzenfest.  Saw  an  impor- 
tant man  —  the  king. 

"August  10.  Took  early  train  to  Visp; 
walked  to  St.  Nicholas  in  five  hours ;  drove  on 
to  Zermatt ;  saw  snow  mountains  —  the  Matter- 
horn  ;  saw  lights  of  party  ascending. 


£> 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  5 

"  August  14.  Chamounix  ;  Hotel  Mt.  Blanc ; 
went  to  church  in  a.  m.  ;  English  service ;  very 
srood  sermon  ;  saw  Mont  Blanc." 

One  day,  when  Gardner  was  quite  young,  his 
attention,  with  that  of  his  father,  was  attracted 
by  an  unusual  noise  in  a  tree  at  the  back  of  the 
house.  He  writes :  "  It  was  a  perfectly  still,  cloud- 
less morning,  with  not  a  breath  of  wind  stirring. 
On  close  examination  we  noticed  something  red 
bobbing  backward  and  forward  on  the  side  of  a 
dead  limb,  near  the  top  of  the  tree ;  my  father 
went  for  his  gun,  and  in  a  moment  an  innocent 
little  downy  woodpecker,  a  male  in  full  plumage, 
with  a  beautiful  scarlet  crest,  was  our  victim. 
I  could  hardly  believe  it  was  he  who  had  caused 
all  that  noise.  This  aroused  my  interest,  and 
from  that  day  to  this  (the  spring  of  1893),  with 
always  increasing  enthusiasm,  I  have  been  a  de- 
voted student  of  ornithology  in  particular ;  of 
all  nature  in  general.  This  one  incident  changed 
me  from  a  bookworm  to  a  young  naturalist,  and 
I  went  now  constantly  into  the  woods.  From  the 
time  I  was  eleven  years  old,  when  I  received  a 
shotgun,  until  entering  college,  I  spent  every 
Saturday,  rain  or  shine,  in  the  woods." 

In  speaking  of  his  life  at  the  Latin  School,  he 
says :  "  Here  for  five  years  I  looked  forward  to 
the  preliminary  examinations  for  Harvard  with 
awe.  After  I  had  passed  these  without  failure 
in  any  subject,  the  finals  had  no  terror  for  me, 


b  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

and  I  passed  them  clear,  with  credit  in  advanced 
Greek."  His  parents  would  have  sent  him  to  a 
private  preparatory  school,  but  thought  it  best 
for  him  to  be  at  home  during  these  years.  In 
regard  to  their  opinion  he  writes  :  "  I  must  say 
they  were  wise.  I  regard  any  boarding-school 
for  young  boys  as  dangerous  in  the  extreme  ;  it 
is  preeminently  the  time  when  boys  should  be  at 
home.  Then,  too,  the  tendency  of  private  schools 
is  to  develop  cliques,  and  men  from  these  schools, 
when  they  reach  college,  consider  they  are  en- 
titled to  special  privileges  not  to  be  granted  to 
those  from  the  public  schools  ;  they  believe  that 
a  private  school  places  them  on  a  higher  plane. 
It  is  this  spirit  which  is  doing  more  to  weaken 
our  school  system  than  attacks  from  alien-born 
citizens  or  religious  intolerance.  In  not  patron- 
izing the  public  schools,  we  fail  to  practice  what 
most  of  us  at  all  events  preach,  the  mainte- 
nance of  our  public  school  system.  I  can  testify 
most  heartily  that  this  is  what  I  have  learned 
from  four  years'  observation  at  college." 

With  his  father,  in  the  summer  of  1888,  he 
took  a  trip  across  the  continent  of  North  America 
by  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway ;  and  in  his  jour- 
nal thus  vividly  describes  the  approach  to  Banff : 
"  There  were  mountains  on  all  sides,  most  of  them 
covered  with  snow ;  they  were  rugged  and  seemed 
like  huge  pyramids  of  rock.  We  passed  a  little 
valley  with  a  river  flowing  through  it.     Here  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  7 

mountains  were  thickly  wooded  at  the  bottom ; 
halfway  up  were  a  few  trees  only,  while  the  rest 
of  the  way  was  steep  and  rocky.  Banff,  in  the 
Canadian  National  Park,  is  4500  feet  above  the 
sea  level,  and  is  noted  for  its  sulphur  baths." 

While  here  he  ascended  the  higher  of  the  twin 
peaks,  taking  with  him  a  barometer  adjusted  to 
tell  the  height  of  any  mountain.  Starting  at 
10.30  a.  M.,  he  reached  home  at  5.30  p.  m.,  having 
found  the  height  to  be  9000  feet,  and  the  descent 
harder  than  the  ascent. 

After  leaving  Banff,  they  went  to  Glacier. 
"  The  railroad  passes  along  the  side  of  the  canon, 
crossing  many  bridges,  and  making  very  sharp 
turns;  the  glacier  is  large,  and  as  fine  as  any 
in  Switzerland."  Of  course  Gardner  must  make 
the  ascent ;  and  a  most  exciting  adventure  it 
proved :  "  After  breakfast,  we  started  to  climb  the 
glacier;  took  gun,  but  left  it  at  the  bottom. 
We  could  see  where  the  glacier  was,  and  how  it 
had  receded,  and  began  the  ascent  along  its  side. 
After  climbing  five  hundred  feet,  we  came  to 
many  deep  fissures  or  chasms,  some  wide  and 
deep.  All  of  us  kept  to  the  side  on  the  rocks  as 
long  as  we  could,  and  then  walked  on  the  snow 
and  ice ;  the  guide,  Dr.  B.,  myself,  and  our  dog, 
composed  the  party.  At  1500  feet  the  climbing 
became  very  hard ;  I  had  a  common  axe,  the  doc- 
tor an  ice  axe,  and  the  guide  nothing  but  the 
lunch.     The  snow  had  become  so  firmly  packed 


8  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  get  footing,  while 
the  angle  we  were  obliged  to  climb  was  about 
fifty  degrees,  with  a  deep  and  wide  fissure  below. 
When  halfway  up,  Dr.  B.  slipped,  slid  downward, 
and  tried  to  get  his  axe  into  the  snow,  but  failed, 
he  was  going  quite  fast,  but,  on  the  second  trial, 
managed  to  get  it  firmly  into  the  snow ;  but  he 
had  fallen  sixty  feet  toward  a  chasm  —  a  little 
more  and  he  would  have  gone  into  it.  We  now 
had  to  climb  along  the  bottom  of  a  perpendicu- 
lar cliff ;  went  as  far  as  we  dared,  then  told  the 
guide  it  was  too  dangerous,  and  started  down.  The 
guide  threw  my  axe  upon  what  he  supposed  was 
firm  ground,  but  it  slipped,  and  went  into  a  deep 
fissure.  He  thought  he  could  drop  the  lunch  all 
right,  but  that  too  went  into  the  abyss.  Our 
party  managed  to  get  down,  however,  I  by  sitting 
on  the  snow,  with  a  sharp  stone  in  either  hand, 
letting  myself  down.  The  dog  climbed  about 
with  ease.  At  last  we  got  safely  to  the  foot  of 
the  glacier,  arriving  at  the  hotel  at  4.30  P.  M. 
In  starting  out,  we  crossed  a  deep  chasm  on  an 
immense  rock ;  but  when  we  returned,  the  way 
seemed  blocked,  and  we  could  not  get  across. 
While  we  were  upon  the  glacier,  a  landslide  had 
taken  place ;  the  fissure  had  opened  and  swallowed 
up  an  immense  pile  of  rock." 

This  whole  diary  abounds  with  interesting 
items,  from  which  we  cull  bits  here  and  there. 
"  Saw  Chinese  settlements ;  the  Chinamen  work 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  9 

for  the  railroad,  or  mine  for  silver  or  gold.  They 
live  in  miserable  huts.  .  .  .  All  along  the  Frazer 
River,  saw  where  the  Indians  caught  their  salmon, 
drying  them  on  poles  with  a  smoking  fire  under- 
neath. Mt.  Baker  could  be  clearly  viewed.  It 
is  entirely  covered  with  snow,  and  though  sixty 
miles  away,  loomed  up  like  an  immense  white 
cloud.  The  scenery  along  the  Frazer  River  canon 
is  the  finest  we  have  seen ;  this  is  a  very  danger- 
ous part  of  the  road.  Took  photograph  of  Mt. 
Baker.  We  touched  the  Pacific  Ocean  at  Port 
Moody,  and  for  twelve  miles  kept  along  the  sea- 
coast.  Eclipse  of  the  moon."  A  visit  to  the 
coal  mines  at  Franklin  was  especially  interesting 
to  Gardner.  Our  own  large  cities  in  the  North- 
west were  visited,  and  contrasted  with  their 
Canadian  neighbors.  The  scenery  along  the 
Willamette  and  Columbia  rivers  was  greatly 
enjoyed ;  also  that  of  the  Yellowstone  Park,  in 
which  the  wonderful  formations  of  lime  and  mag- 
nesia in  terraces  of  different  colors,  the  hot 
springs  and  geysers,  are  specially  noted.  The 
business  and  industrial  enterprises  came  in  for  a 
share  of  critical  observation,  remarkable  in  one  so 
young,  Gardner  at  this  time  being  only  seven- 
teen years  old.  At  Olympia  he  found  "  Dwight 
cloth."  He  took  many  photographs,  which  as- 
sisted in  making  this  trip  what  he  later  called 
one  of  the  most  helpful  he  had  ever  made.  In 
June,  1889,  he  graduated  from  the  Latin  School. 


10  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

The  next  summer,  with  his  eldest  sister,  he 
took  his  second  trip  to  Europe.  Making  Weimar 
their  headquarters,  they  enjoyed  frequent  excur- 
sions to  the  Thuringian  forest  and  the  localities 
memorable  in  connection  with  the  lives  of  Goethe, 
Schiller,  and  Martin  Luther. 

Gardner  entered  very  heartily  into  the  home 
life  of  his  German  friends.  One  day  he  proposed 
to  Frau  G.,  his  hostess,  to  cook  the  dinner ;  she 
assented,  and  early  the  next  morning  he  went  to 
the  market,  accompanied  by  the  maid  who  was  to 
carry  his  purchases,  while  Frau  G.  and  his  sister 
followed  at  a  distance,  enjoying  the  sight  of  his 
earnest,  intent  face  as  he  did  his  marketing. 

In  describing  this  adventure  he  writes  :  "  The 
stove  is  not  like  ours,  there  being  one  flue  but  two 
fires,  —  one  to  heat  the  oven,  the  other  for  the 
open  tops.  Having  no  experience  with  that  kind 
of  stove,  it  took  a  long  time  to  start  the  fire ;  as 
soon  as  one  fire  was  going  well,  it  would  spoil  the 
draught  of  the  other,  but  I  at  last  managed  to  fix 
the  doors  and  windows  so  that  both  would  work. 
The  oven  has  a  fire  directly  underneath,  and  also 
contains  a  hole  with  a  cover,  such  as  we  have  on 
the  top  of  our  stoves ;  potatoes  and  soup  were 
cooking  in  the  oven,  but  when  it  was  time  to 
cook  the  steak,  the  fire  which  heated  the  open 
part  would  not  burn,  so  I  had  to  take  off  the 
soup  and  broil  the  steak  in  the  oven,  which  was 
difficult,  as  the  potatoes  were  still  cooking  there. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  11 

At  last  all  was  ready.  It  was  greatly  in  my 
favor  that,  having  waited  so  long,  they  were  all 
hungry,  even  the  guest  whom  Frau  G.  had  in- 
vited for  this  special  occasion.  When  the  soup 
was  removed,  I  had  everything  hot  and  ready  to 
serve ;  cucumbers  and  radishes  were  ready,  the 
steak  and  peas  garnished  with  parsley,  and 
everything  was  hot  and  well  cooked,  though  the 
beefsteak  was  a  trifle  singed  and  the  potatoes 
somewhat  blackened.  Frau  G.  wished  me  to 
show  her  how  to  cook  the  steak,  which  they  sel- 
dom have  here.  Indeed,  I  had  to  buy  a  gridiron 
on  which  to  broil  it.  We  had  a  pretty  mould  of 
ice-cream,  which  was  very  attractive  and  con- 
sidered a  luxury.  All  pronounced  the  dinner  a 
success,  although  they  had  taken  the  precaution 
to  buy  an  extra  quantity  of  bread,  fearing  they 
might  have  to  go  without  dinner.  Frau  G.'s 
guest  at  once  engaged  me  to  cook  for  one  month 
for  her  boarding  school,  which  consists  of  seven- 
teen young  ladies." 

Leaving  Weimar,  Gardner  and  his  sister  jour- 
neyed to  Leipzig,  the  latter  to  remain  there  for 
study.  Before  leaving  her,  Gardner  inspected 
her  apartment,  and  thinking  it  would  be  difficult 
to  escape  in  case  of  fire,  procured  a  rope,  con- 
structed a  fire  escape,  and  did  not  leave  her  until 
he  was  satisfied  she  understood  using  it. 

He  visited  Dresden,  Berlin,  and  Hamburg, 
where  he  sailed  for  New  York  in  time  to  resume 


12  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

his  studies  at  Harvard.  From  the  time  of  land- 
ing at  Liverpool  he  had  planned  and  successfully 
carried  out  the  whole  trip,  his  father  giving  him 
full  liberty. 

The  larger  portion  of  the  summer  of  1891  was 
most  profitably  spent  with  a  geological  class 
under  the  guidance  of  professors  from  leading 
colleges,  during  which  time  he  visited  a  number 
of  the  New  England  and  Middle  States. 

Gardner  made  good  use  of  his  time  at  college, 
studying  more  to  become  "  a  good  all-round 
scholar "  than  to  gain  distinction  in  any  one 
direction.  He  arranged  for  his  second  sister  to 
take  a  special  course  at  Radcliffe,  during  his  last 
year  at  Harvard,  preparatory  to  her  spending 
some  years  in  study  abroad,  and  watched  her 
progress  with  keen  interest.  Towards  the  end  of 
his  college  course,  he  said :  "  If  I  had  only  given 
a  little  more  time  to  one  special  subject,  I  might 
graduate  '  cum  laude.'  "  He  was  agreeably  sur- 
prised when  he  did  graduate  "  cum  laude,"  with 
honorable  mention  in  history  and  natural  history. 

While  at  Harvard,  he  formed  a  friendship 
with  a  fellow  fraternity  man,  Herbert  N.,  and 
later  with  his  brother  Matthew,  the  three  becom- 
ing bound  by  closest  ties.  They  were  often  at 
Gardner's  home,  while  in  the  summer  of  1892  he 
made  his  first  visit  to  their  beautiful  home  in 
Minnesota,  where  the  whole  family  became  greatly 
attached  to  him  and  he  to  them.     Writing  of  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  13 

sail  up  the  Mississippi  with  his  friends,  he  says  : 
"  The  scenery  is  as  fine  as  any  I  have  seen.  The 
bluffs  all  along  the  river  are  of  limestone,  the 
deep  valleys  receding  from  the  river  to  the  prairies. 
The  rocks,  which  only  appear  at  the  tops  of  the 
bluffs,  often  resemble  castles ;  their  sides  are 
wooded,  and  at  one  place  the  hills  were  covered 
with  vineyards  transplanted  from  the  Rhine." 
He  was  charmed  with  Western  people  and  their 
hospitality,  and  their  hearts  were  won  by  his 
sunny,  manly  disposition. 

In  1893,  after  enjoying  the  World's  Fair,  he 
visited  his  friends  a  second  time.  The  three 
young  men  were  exceedingly  congenial  in  their 
tastes,  and  devoted  to  each  other.  They  had 
profited  by  travel,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  by 
the  best  educational  advantages,  and  all  were 
musical.  They  were  well-read,  well-bred,  pure, 
true-hearted,  noble  fellows,  with  an  earnest  pur- 
pose in  life,  and  an  enthusiastic  desire  to  benefit 
and  elevate  their  fellow-men. 

Immediately  after  the  summer  of  1893,  and  in 
accord  with  his  settled  purpose  to  connect  him- 
self with  the  cotton  manufacturing  interest,  in 
which  his  father  was  engaged,  Gardner  com- 
menced work  with  the  Great  Falls  Company  at 
Somersworth,  New  Hampshire,  and  later  with 
the  Dwight  Company,  where  every  opportunity 
was  afforded  him  to  see  the  working  of  each 
department.    He  devoted  his  entire  energy  to  a 


14  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

thorough  mastery  of  the  subject,  showing  a  re- 
markable grasp  and  facility  of  comprehension. 
His  contented  disposition,  power  of  concentration, 
and  happy  faculty  of  adapting  himself  to  circum- 
stances endeared  him  to  all.  From  Great  Falls 
he  writes  :  "  I  like  the  mills  better  than  I  antici- 
pated, but  find  myself  tired  when  night  comes. 
Am  pleasantly  located,  and  spend  my  evenings 
in  reading  and  practicing  on  my  violin."  He 
was  greatly  interested  in  studying  the  details  of 
the  work,  felt  he  was  gaining  insight  into  the 
business,  mastered  the  technical  terms,  and  found 
time  for  occasional  tramps. 

In  February,  1894,  he  and  his  friend  Matthew 
ascended  Chocorua,  and  of  this  trip  he  writes: 
"  We  started  Friday  a.  m.  ;  reached  "West  Ossi- 
pee  about  1.30,  and  took  stage  for  Tamworth, 
four  miles  away.  From  there  we  drove  to 
Fowle's  Mills,  near  where  the  farmer  lives  with 
whom  we  were  to  stay.  Friday  night  it  began  to 
snow,  and  continued  to  do  so  all  Saturday ;  but 
we  took  our  snowshoes,  and  tramped  through  the 
woods  most  of  the  day.  Sunday  was  clear  and 
cold,  so  we  put  on  our  snowshoes  again,  and 
started  for  Chocorua's  peak.  We  found  it  hard 
traveling ;  the  snow  was  soft,  and  from  three  to 
four  feet  on  a  level.  At  two  o'clock  we  reached 
the  top  of  the  ridge,  got  into  the  house,  and 
built  a  fire.  At  four  we  started  for  the  summit, 
four  hundred  feet  above  us,  and  looking  like  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  15 

top  of  the  Matterhom.  It  was  all  snow  and  ice, 
and  so  steep  we  could  not  at  first  climb  it ;  but 
we  procured  an  axe  and  rope  from  the  house,  and 
after  an  hour's  work  reached  the  top.  It  was 
blowing  so  hard  one  could  not  stand  up.  The 
top  is  flat,  and  about  six  feet  square.  There  was 
a  beautiful  view  all  about  us.  I  think  Chocorua 
one  of  the  finest  mountains  in  New  Hampshire. 
We  reached  the  house  on  the  ridge  all  right,  but 
it  was  six  o'clock,  and  the  sun  had  gone  down. 
The  moon,  however,  gave  us  plenty  of  light,  and 
we  had  a  fine  walk  home,  reaching  the  house 
about  eight  o'clock,  well  repaid  for  our  trip. 
This  locality  surpasses  almost  anything  in  the 
mountains  I  have  yet  seen.  We  were  very  near 
all  those  peaks  of  which  Mr.  Bolles  speaks  so 
frequently." 

In  the  spring  of  1894  he  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  Chicopee  to  continue  his  industrial 
work.  March  17  he  writes :  "  It  is  about  the 
same  here  as  at  Great  Falls.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C. 
do  everything  to  make  my  stay  pleasant,  and  I 
spend  most  of  my  evenings  at  their  house.  They 
have  devoted  an  especial  chair  and  table  to  my 
use.  Mr.  C.  makes  it  a  point  to  let  me  know 
just  what  is  going  on,  and  as  I  have  a  desk  in 
his  office,  can  see  all  the  details  of  management. 
He  goes  through  the  mills  with  me  about  every 
day,  calling  my  attention  to  impoi'tant  things  to 
be  remembered.      Though   I   thought   when   at 


16  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

Great  Falls  I  could  not  learn  as  much  anywhere 
else,  find  I  can  get  a  great  deal  more  here." 

When  he  left  the  Dwight  Company  the  agent 
wrote  of  him :  "  I  have  never  met  his  equal  in  all 
my  life  for  honor  and  capacity." 

From  Chicopee  he  writes :  "  Walked  all  through 
the  Mt.  Tom  range  from  the  house  on  Nonotuck 
to  the  peak  opposite  Holyoke.  There  is  one  spe- 
cies of  bird,  the  duck-hawk,  which  is  found  breed- 
ing on  Mt.  Tom,  and  nowhere  else  in  the  State. 
I  wanted  very  much  to  locate  the  birds,  and,  for- 
tunately, think  I  know  just  where  they  will  build. 
The  cliffs  on  Mt.  Tom,  where  the  duck-hawks 
breed,  face  the  west,  and  are  formed  by  the 
crumbling  away  of  the  basaltic  trap.  They  are 
not  bare,  but  covered  with  Norway  and  pitch 
pine.  The  valley  stretching  south  is  simply 
beautiful,  all  taken  up  by  fine  fields,  with  here 
and  there  a  clump  of  evergreen  trees,  and  re- 
minds me  of  the  country  about  Weimar.  It  is 
very  impressive  to-day,  looking  off  over  the  val- 
ley, for  everything  is  still,  except  for  the  hens, 
chickens,  and  an  occasional  turkey  gobbler.  The 
crows  have  full  sway.  Easthampton  and  North- 
ampton appear  to  be  sleeping,  and  in  the  back- 
ground is  the  little  church-spire  of  Westhamp- 
ton,  three  or  four  miles  away."  He  notes  finding 
the  first  violet,  seeing  the  first  butterfly,  and  on 
his  walk  from  Holyoke  to  Chicopee,  heard  the 
croaking  of  the  first  frog. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  17 

When  it  became  known  that  the  Dwight  Man- 
ufacturing Company  proposed  to  establish  a  mill 
in  the  South,  Mr.  Nichols,  Senior,  received  nu- 
merous letters  pressing  the  claims  and  setting 
forth  the  advantages  of  various  sites ;  and,  with 
Gardner,  visited  many  places  in  order  to  find  the 
best  possible  location.  It  was  finally  decided  to 
build  at  the  foot  of  Lookout  Mountain  in  north- 
ern Alabama.  In  September  of  1894,  Gardner 
went  South  to  arrange  for  and  superintend  this 
work.  One  or  two  extracts  from  his  diary  will 
show  that  he  still  keenly  observed  nature  in  the 
midst  of  engrossing  cares. 

"November  10,  1894.  Finished  survey  of 
Black  Creek  at  noon ;  afternoon  in  office ; 
tufted  tit,  winter  wren,  common  chickadee, 
pygmy  nuthatch,  golden-crowned  kinglets,  hairy 
woodpecker;  weather  colder  than  any  this  au- 
tumn ;  saw  no  blackbirds  ;  think  they  must  have 
gone. 

"  November  15.  Car  works  office  in  morning ; 
out  to  Alabama  City  in  afternoon ;  several  hun- 
dred plover  along  Black  Creek ;  flock  of  250 
meadow-larks  in  bicycle  track ;  have  been  there 
at  least  three  weeks ;  saw  some  on  top  of  a  high 
oak,  singing  a  soft  plaintive  song  of  four  or  five 
notes." 

November  29  he  arrived  in  Newton  in  time 
for  his  Thanksgiving  dinner,  finding  among  other 
guests  Matthew  N.  and  his  sister.     During  this 


18  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

visit,  he  spent  two  mornings  with  Matthew  in  his 
old  room  at  Cambridge,  and  both  were  grieved 
to  hear  that  Herbert,  Matthew's  brother,  was 
ill,  but  it  was  thought  "  he  would  soon  be  all 
right." 

Gardner  returned  South,  reaching  Gadsden 
December  15,  where  the  first  great  grief  of  his 
life  awaited  him.  He  writes  home :  "  We  reached 
here  in  good  health  and  spirits,  Saturday  noon, 
but  all  was  soon  completely  changed.  As  I 
left  the  train,  a  telegram,  which  had  been  wait- 
ing two  days,  was  handed  me,  and  I  was  made 
aware  that  Herbert  N.  was  dead.  I  couldn't 
believe  it,  and  can't  realize  it  even  now.  Just 
think  of  it !  Have  n't  heard  particulars  yet,  but 
shall  in  a  day  or  two."  Later  he  learned  that  his 
friend  was  taken  ill  on  the  evening  of  Thanks- 
giving Day,  the  result  of  a  cold,  contracted  on 
a  shooting  trip,  and  died  after  a  brief  illness. 
Gardner  was  greatly  overcome  by  this  sudden 
blow,  but  comforted  himself  by  writing,  "  I  still 
have  Matthew." 

In  January,  1895,  Gardner  writes  to  his  mo- 
ther :  "  The  weather  has  been  fine  since  papa 
came ;  he  enjoys  the  place  very  much ;  we  have 
ridden  horseback  together  a  great  deal.  I  am 
singing  bass  in  the  quartette  in  the  Episcopal 
church,  and  had  a  solo  last  Sunday ;  enjoy  this 
country  more  and  more ;  we  have  had  good  wea- 
ther all  winter  so  far.     All  the  birds  we  have  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  19 

Massachusetts  during  the  summer  are  with  us 
now,  the  frogs  can  be  heard  croaking  almost  any 
night,  and  the  bats  are  flying  around ;  mocking- 
birds, bluebirds,  and  robins  are  singing  all  the 
time.  I  am  glad  you  had  Matthew  and  his  sister 
to  dine  with  you.  Think  Matthew  is  quite  poorly 
from  the  shock  he  has  experienced.  Will  write 
grandma  now." 

To  his  grandmother  he  says :  "I  write  this 
letter  as  a  birthday  remembrance,  and  to  offer  my 
congratulations  on  your  eightieth  anniversary. 
Mamma  writes  you  are  in  excellent  health,  for 
which  we  are  all  very  grateful.  I  hope  you  will 
take  the  best  care  of  yourself  in  the  future,  as 
you  have  in  the  past,  and  not  worry  about  lands 
and  lots  and  trespassers,  and  the  like.  The 
contract  for  the  mill  was  let  last  week  ;  we  shall 
begin  building  at  once,  and  hope  to  have  the 
mill  running  by  November  next.  Wishing  you 
many  happy  returns  of  the  day,  ever  your  affec- 
tionate grandson." 

Now  followed  a  time  of  the  greatest  activity, 
requiring  the  utmost  patience,  watchfulness,  and 
tact,  and  to  this  work  he  devoted  all  his  well- 
trained  powers,  with  the  most  gratifying  results. 
His  father's  visits  were  helpful,  and  Gardner 
always  managed  so  to  combine  business  and 
pleasure  that  his  father  enjoyed  the  visits,  and 
benefited  by  them  as  from  a  brief  holiday. 

March  15,  1895,  he  writes:  "Am  now  located 


20  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

at  the  office  in  Alabama  City.  I  go  out  there  at 
six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  returning  for  break- 
fast at  7.30  ;  after  that  go  down  town  to  attend 
to  whatever  business  there  may  be,  then  out  to 
the  factory  again  ;  back  for  dinner ;  to  the  fac- 
tory again,  where  I  stay  until  supper,  at  six. 
Later,  go  down  town  and  finish  correspondence, 
then  to  the  telegraph  office  and  take  a  lesson  in 
telegraphy.  I  do  not  get  much  time  to  practice 
on  my  violin,  but  hope  to  soon.  We  have  a  good 
quartette  at  the  Episcopal  church,  where  I  sing 
bass.  Choir  rehearses  twice  a  week,  which  I 
enjoy.  Am  feeling  well,  but  get  tired  by  night, 
after  rushing  around  all  day."  Though  so  busy, 
he  found  time  to  do  much  for  this  little  church 
in  Gadsden,  raising  money  for  a  new  organ,  and 
assisting  in  other  ways. 

He  was  still  feeling  the  loss  of  his  friend  Her- 
bert, but  had  some  consolation  in  trying  to  com- 
fort Matthew  and  Mr.  N.  in  their  affliction,  and 
was  a  great  help  to  them.  Matthew  never  ral- 
lied from  the  blow,  and  when  he  took  a  slight 
cold  in  our  bleak  March  weather,  had  no  power 
of  resistance,  and  after  an  illness  of  a  few  days 
he,  too,  fell  asleep.  Gardner  left  for  Minnesota 
on  receipt  of  the  news,  and  on  March  31  wrote 
home  :  "  You  can  imagine  how  they  feel ;  it  is 
hard  to  realize  that  both  the  boys  are  gone,  and 
all  within  three  months.  Shall  miss  them  very, 
very  much,  for  I  counted  them  my  best  friends. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  21 

You  need  not  worry  about  me,  as  I  suppose  you 
will,  for  I  am  well  and  strong.  We  must  all  die 
some  time,  and  1  am  not  troubled  about  that ; 
shall  die  like  all  others  at  the  appointed  time." 

On  April  6,  he  says  :  "  Matthew's  funeral  was 
private,  and  at  the  close  of  the  simple  service,  we 
went  up  to  the  little  cemetery  on  the  side  of  the 
Bluffs,  overlooking  the  river,  and  laid  him  close 
beside  Herbert.  The  whole  service  was  lovely, 
just  as  he  would  have  wished,  even  to  the  singing 
of  the  hymns,  '  My  Jesus,  as  thou  wilt '  and 
1  Now  the  day  is  over.'  It  is  a  comfort  to  think 
that  Herbert  and  Matthew  are  together,  for 
Matthew  could  not  be  left  alone.  I  am  sure  he 
died  of  a  broken  heart,  as  he  was  physically 
sound  in  every  respect." 

April  15,  after  describing  his  journey  back  to 
Alabama,  he  tells  his  mother :  "  Am  glad  papa 
is  coming  down,  though  I  wish  you  could  come 
too  ;  it  is  delightful  here  now,  and  I  am  sure  it 
will  do  him  much  good.  The  apple  and  other 
fruit  blooms  are  out,  and  the  trees  are  green. 
There  are  great  numbers  of  birds,  too,  many  spe- 
cies which  I  have  never  seen  before,  and  do  wish 
I  had  some  spare  time  to  study  them.  I  feel 
much  rested  after  my  two  weeks'  vacation  ;  it  is 
well  I  got  off ;  was  very  tired.  W.  is  a  lovely, 
restful  place,  and  the  home  of  the  N.'s  most 
delightful ;  it  is  dreadfully  lonely,  though,  with- 
out the  boys,  and  you  don't  know  how  I  miss 


22  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

them.  Yesterday  was  Easter,  and  a  beautiful  day. 
I  did  not  sing  in  the  choir,  as,  being  away,  had 
not  attended  the  rehearsals ;  the  music  was  very 
good,  and  the  little  church  prettily  decorated." 
The  next  day  he  again  writes :  "  This  is  my 
birthday ;  it  has  been  showery  all  day,  and  now  it 
thunders  and  lightens.  It  is  hard  to  tell  where 
twenty-four  years  have  gone,  and  I  am  glad  they 
do  not  number  more.  Wish  you  could  be  here, 
and  hope  next  year  you  may.  I  have  had  a 
pretty  easy  life  thus  far  —  for  twenty-three  years 
and  a  half,  at  least  —  a  great  deal  to  be  thank- 
ful for.  I  owe  it  all  to  you  and  papa,  and  if  I 
have  n't  seemed  to  appreciate  it,  it  was  because  I 
did  n't  fully  realize  it  before.  Of  course  I  can 
see  mistakes,  but  only  experience  shows  us  these. 
Think  I  am  pretty  well  started;  have  a  good 
chance,  better  than  most  fellows,  and  shall  work 
hard  to  benefit  by  it ;  it  is  a  good  experience  for 
me  down  here  in  every  respect,  and  am  glad 
the  opportunity  offered  itself ;  shall  try  to  write 
oftener  to  you." 

In  another  letter  on  the  22d  of  April  he  says : 
"  Received  yours  this  morning  ;  much  obliged  for 
the  two  books,  the  one  by  Mr.  Bolles  is  very 
lovely.  I  had  to  go  to  Chattanooga  last  Wednes- 
day, where  I  surprised  papa  and  came  back  with 
him.  He  had  a  bad  cough,  but  the  weather 
has  been  warm  and  pleasant,  and  think  he  is 
now  much  better.     I   sent  you  a  little  souvenir 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  23 

of  Lookout  Mountain  and  surrounding  places  of 
historic  interest.  Have  not  forgotten  that  next 
Wednesday  is  your  birthday,  and  hope  this  will 
reach  you  on  time.  It  is  beautiful  here  now,  and 
am  sorry  you  could  not  come  with  papa.  The 
leaves  are  out,  and  there  are  lots  of  birds  and 
flowers ;  only  wish  I  had  three  hours  a  day  to 
spend  in  the  woods.  Yesterday  —  Sunday  — 
papa  and  I  went  to  the  hotel  on  the  mountain,  and 
took  dinner ;  in  the  afternoon  we  walked  to  the 
Falls,  gathering  flowers  on  the  way ;  the  azaleas 
are  in  full  bloom,  pink,  white,  and  some  varie- 
gated. There  are  quantities  of  yellow  jasmine, 
which  grows  upon  the  trees  like  ivy,  with  a  trum- 
pet-like flower,  very  fragrant ;  also  the  blossom  of 
the  wild  crab-apple,  which  we  found  in  bloom ;  in 
fact,  there  are  too  many  flowers  to  mention,  and 
wish  C.  could  be  here  to  gather  them.  This  morn- 
ing, papa  is  looking  over  the  work  and  laying  out 
a  reservoir ;  he  enjoys  being  out  of  doors,  and  it 
is  good  for  him.  Yesterday  morning  he  went  to 
our  little  church,  and  1  sang  a  solo,  '  O  rest  in 
the  Lord.'  I  sing  one  every  other  Sunday.  Hope 
C.  is  getting  on  well  with  her  music  —  she  ought 
to  be  able  to  play  my  accompaniments  at  sight  by 
this  time.  Tell  her  to  stick  to  it ;  I  '11  bring  my 
violin  when  I  come  in  June,  which  I  hope  now 
to  do.  With  best  wishes  for  a  happy  birthday, 
and  many  happy  returns,  I  am  your  affectionate 
son." 


24  BIOGBAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

A  few  days  later,  April  28,  he  writes  to  the 
father  of  Herbert  and  Matthew  a  letter  which 
gives,  taken  in  connection  with  those  already 
quoted,  an  idea  of  the  beauty  and  seriousness  of 
his  character :  — 

"  This  is  Sunday  afternoon,  and  I  am  sitting 
on  the  highest  ledge  on  the  eastern  side  of  Look- 
out Mountain,  overlooking  the  country  for  miles 
around.  It  is  such  a  beautiful  day  that  I  sad- 
dled my  horse  after  dinner  and  came  up  here  to 
write  letters.  We  had  a  very  interesting  sermon 
read  this  morning,  at  our  little  church ;  one  by 
Phillips  Brooks,  entitled,  '  Help  from  the  hills.' 
The  text  was  Psalm  cxxi.  1,  '  I  will  lift  up  mine 
eyes  unto  the  hills,  from  whence  cometh  my  help.' 
The  central  truth  of  it  is  the  duty  of  every  one 
of  us  to  seek  help  from  the  highest  source  ;  it  is 
trouble  that  tests  us  and  shows  what  sort  of  men 
we  are ;  it  is  the  time  of  need  that  lets  us  see 
what  men  think  of  themselves,  how  seriously 
they  contemplate  their  own  existence,  how  they 
estimate  their  need  by  letting  us  see  from  whence 
they  seek  their  help.  One  man  turns  instinc- 
tively to  the  lowest,  and  another  to  the  highest, 
in  his  need  ;  and  so  it  is  that,  in  their  own  way, 
our  hours  of  need  become  our  judgment  days. 
It  is  a  beautiful  sermon  all  the  way  through. 
There  is  one  place,  especially,  which  appeals  to 
us  all  at  this  particular  time.  Bishop  Brooks 
says,  '  It  is  a  wondrous  change  when  a  man  stops 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  25 

asking  of  his  distress,  How  can  I  throw  this  off  ? 
and  asks  instead,  What  did  God  mean  by  send- 
ing this  ?  Then  he  may  well  believe  that  time 
and  work  will  help  him.  Time,  with  its  neces- 
sary calming  of  the  first  surface  tumult,  will  let 
him  look  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  divine  pur- 
pose of  the  sorrow,  and  will  let  its  deepest  and 
most  precious  meanings  gradually  come  forth,  so 
that  he  may  see  them.  Work  done  in  the  sor- 
row will  bring  him  into  ever  new  relations  to 
the  God  in  whom  alone  the  full  interpretation 
and  relief  of  the  sorrow  lies.'  Time  and  work, 
not  as  means  of  escape  from  distress,  but  as  the 
hands  in  which  distress  shall  be  turned  hither 
and  thither,  that  the  light  of  God  may  freely 
play  upon  it;  it  is  a  beautiful  thought,  and  I 
know  you  realize  its  full  meaning. 

"  I  am  sitting  on  the  top  of  a  ledge,  overhang- 
ing a  precipice,  several  hundred  feet  high  ;  below 
me  is  what  is  known  as  Owl's  Valley,  about 
nine  hundred  feet  down  and  not  over  half  a 
mile  wide,  while  behind  is  a  forest  of  second- 
growth  hard  pine,  through  which  the  wind  is 
sighing  most  sweetly,  for  there  is  quite  a  breeze 
just  now,  the  forerunner  of  a  coming  tempest, 
which  I  can  see  approaching  from  the  north.  I 
will  wait  until  it  comes,  and  then  crawl  into  a 
crevice  of  the  ledge  below  and  watch  the  storm 
go  by ;   it  is  not  half  a  mile  off   now,  so  I  '11 


26  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

unsaddle   my  horse  and  get  into   the  cave   at 
once.  .  .  . 

"  I  got  in  just  in  time,  for  now  it  is  raining 
hard;  the  sun  is  shining  off  in  the  west,  and 
there  is  a  most  beautiful  rainbow  just  before  me, 
making  a  complete  arch  in  the  sky.  The  birds 
have  been  singing  all  around  me  till  now,  and, 
as  suddenly  as  the  storm  approached,  they  have 
taken  to  their  shelter  and  are  silent,  save  some 
tame  geese  that  I  can  just  see  with  my  glass  in 
the  valley  below;  they  seem  highly  delighted, 
and  though  they  are  so  far  away,  their  gabble 
can  be  distinctly  heard.  There  has  been  a  pygmy 
flycatcher  on  a  dead  tree  near  by,  which  has 
amused  me  greatly ;  he  darts  off  into  the  air  in 
a  spiral  course  upward,  catching  without  fail  the 
insect  he  is  after,  then,  instead  of  spiraling  back 
to  his  perch  again,  he  invariably  darts  head-first 
down  to  the  same  dead  limb  ;  he  has  had  a  real 
good  meal  since  I've  been  watching  him.  An 
old  turkey  buzzard  has  just  alighted  on  a  pine 
not  far  off,  and  is  eying  me  wistfully,  as  though 
he  wished  I  might  tumble  down  the  ledge  and 
break  my  neck.  There  he  goes  ;  he  has  un- 
doubtedly given  me  up  as  not  worth  wasting 
time  on. 

"  The  storm  has  passed ;  it  was  much  less  of 
one  than  I  anticipated,  for  it  only  rained  *  pitch- 
forks,' with  no  lightning  accompaniment  at  all, 
though  it  had  been  thundering  in  that  direction 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  27 

for  some  time  previous  to  its  arrival.  I  missed 
seeing  the  lightning  strike  in  the  valley ;  but  I 
shall  have  a  pleasure  which,  perhaps,  I  might  not 
have  had  if  the  storm  had  been  more  severe  and 
lasted  longer,  for  the  rain  has  freshened  every- 
thing, even  the  souls  of  the  birds,  and  they  are 
all  singing  vociferously.  Now,  if  you  only  knew 
the  songs  of  the  different  birds,  the  mere  men- 
tion of  their  names  would  carry  you  into  the 
woods  and  you  could  hear  them  singing,  even 
though  you  were  sitting  on  the  sofa  in  your 
library.  Near  by  me,  a  black -throated  green 
warbler  is  lisping  away  all  to  himself ;  down  in 
the  valley  are  several  song-thrushes  and  a  mock- 
ing-bird vying  with  one  another.  Chewinks,  pine- 
warblers,  now  and  then  a  great-crested  flycatcher, 
scarlet  tanagers,  yellow-breasted  chats,  vireos, 
redbirds,  and  sparrows  of  several  varieties  —  a 
veritable  aviary  —  are  all  around  me. 

"  But  I  have  n't  mentioned  the  most  beautiful 
of  all  —  the  landscape  and  the  clouds.  Before 
me,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  is  Owl's  Valley, 
with  a  stream  running  tortuously  through  it ;  be- 
yond, half  a  mile  away,  is  a  ridge,  perhaps  three 
hundred  feet  high,  running  parallel  to  it;  be- 
yond this  is  the  lovely  valley  of  the  Coosa,  and 
fifteen  miles  away  the  mountains  begin  again, 
rising  range  on  range  for  thirty  or  forty  miles ; 
on  the  south  are  more  high  hills,  looking  as 
though  they  would  bar  the  river's  course,  but  it 


28  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

finds  a  break  in  the  walls  and  flows  nearly  eight 
hundred  miles  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Looking 
northeast  there  is  an  expanse  of  lowlands  extend- 
ing forty  miles,  broken  here  and  there  by  iso- 
lated mountains,  standing  by  themselves  like  the 
Egyptian  pyramids.  It  is  not  exactly  a  New 
England  scene,  yet  it  calls  to  mind  the  river 
Matthew  and  I  looked  down  upon  from  Cho- 
corua's  peak,  only  then  snow  was  over  every- 
thing ;  but  now  the  dark  green  of  the  pines, 
broken  by  the  lighter  greens  of  the  oaks  and 
maples,  with  the  evening  sun  lighting  them  up 
and  down  the  valley,  affords  a  marked  contrast  to 
that  scene.  The  sun,  which  since  the  storm  has 
been  concealed,  is  just  breaking  through  the 
clouds.  Part  of  the  sky  is  blue,  and  part  is  hid- 
den by  dark  purple  clouds,  while  here  and  there 
a  great  piece  of  cumulus,  lower  than  the  rest, 
glows  a  gorgeous  crimson,  its  great  folds  shaded 
with  purple.  Resting  on  the  serrated  tops  of  the 
little  mountains  are  large  masses  of  great  white 
clouds  looking  like  glaciated  mountain-tops.  Do 
you  remember  the  Olympian  Mountain  range, 
just  at  the  mouth  of  Puget  Sound  ?  I  saw  those 
mountains  at  early  sunrise,  when  just  their  snow- 
capped tops  were  visible  above  the  morning  mist ; 
they  seemed  to  be  almost  overhead,  and  the  sun, 
not  yet  discernible  above  the  horizon,  shone  on 
them  till  they  were  a  gorgeous  crimson.  I 
thought  at  first  they  were   really  clouds ;   and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  29 

now  these  great  banks  of  cumulus,  floating  above 
the  horizon,  call  me  back  to  the  deck  of  the 
steamer  on  Puget  Sound.  As  I  write,  all  has 
changed  to  a  pink  effect,  and  the  highest  ridge  I 
see  looks  as  if  it  were  covered  with  pink  azaleas, 
and  the  whole  sky  is  reflecting  them ;  it  is  fast 
fading,  and  in  half  an  hour  it  will  be  dark,  for 
the  twilight  here  is  very  short.  I  miss  the  sun- 
sets we  have  at  home,  for  though  their  beau- 
ties are  more  subdued,  they  last  longer  ;  after  all, 
there  is  nothing  more  inspiring  or  more  elevating 
than  to  watch  the  sky  at  sunset  from  some  high 
point. 

"This  recalls  the  sweet  memory  of  the  last 
sunset  Herbert  and  I  watched  from  the  top  of 
the  bluffs  above  W.  What  a  difference  it  would 
make  in  our  lives  if  we  could  always  live  on  the 
top  of  hills  ;  our  ills  would  seem  less  wearisome, 
and  we  should  always  be  hopeful,  no  matter 
what  business  worries  hung  over  us  in  the  office. 
Whenever  I  am  tired  out,  an  hour  spent  on 
Lookout  Mountain  makes  me  feel  like  another 
fellow.  Well,  the  night-hawks  are  flying  about, 
and  whippoorwills  are  calling  from  the  valley :  — 

'  Now  the  day  is  over, 

Night  is  drawing  nigh, 
Shadows  of  the  evening, 
Steal  across  the  sky.' 

If  I  do  not  take  advantage  of  what  light  is 
left,  shall  have  a  difficult  ride  home. 


30  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

"Saturday,  May  4. 

"  I  've  had  this  letter  all  the  week,  and  meant 
to  have  written  another,  this  seems  such  a  scribble, 
but  I  've  not  had  a  moment's  time." 

The  work  on  the  mill  progressed  with  the  trials, 
delays,  and  discouragements  incident  to  an  under- 
taking of  such  magnitude,  but  on  the  whole  with 
much  less  friction  than  might  reasonably  be 
expected.  On  Christmas,  1895,  a  button  was 
pressed  in  a  distant  city,  which  set  the  wheel  of 
the  great  Corliss  engine  in  motion.  The  "  Ala- 
bama State  Herald  "  of  December  28  devoted 
several  columns  to  a  description  of  the  mill  and 
its  surroundings.  Speaking  of  Gardner,  this 
article  says :  "  He  has  a  most  pleasing  address, 
keeps  a  cool  head  with  unswerving  devotion  to 
duty,  and  it  is  an  inspiration  to  see  the  enthusi- 
asm with  which  he  takes  hold  of  every  detail  of 
the  business.  I  took  a  walk  up  one  of  the  streets 
of  the  new  town,  over  whose  future  Mr.  Nichols 
is  having  no  end  of  pleasant  speculation.  He 
declares  it  shall  be  a  model  village,  with  no  con- 
cealed weapons,  no  saloons  concealed  or  uncon- 
cealed ;  that  there  will  be  ample  public  schools,  a 
public  library  and  reading-room,  and  a  handsome 
union  church.  There  are  150  cottages  build- 
ing and  completed ;  a  pleasing  and  striking  fea- 
ture of  them  will  be  the  absence  of  sameness  or 
monotony.     Mr.  Nichols  has  a  remarkably  win- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  31 

ning  expression  for  a  Republican,  which  he  avows 
to  be  his  politics,  as  though  it  were  something  of 
which  to  be  proud." 

March  8,  1896,  Gardner  sent  a  letter  to  his 
grandmother,  which  gives  briefly  his  view  of  the 
village,  as  follows  :  "  It  is  not  very  often  that 
I  write,  but  do  not  think  I  am  forgetful  of  you  ; 
you  can  hardly  realize  what  a  busy  time  I  have. 
Am  on  the  jump  from  early  morning  till  late  at 
night.  The  mill  is  now  started,  but  it  will  be 
June  before  we  have  everything  in  operation  ;  the 
work  is  going  wonderfully  well,  and  I  am  much 
encouraged.  "We  have  our  village  nearly  com- 
pleted, and  as  there  are  trees  all  about,  it  gives 
it  a  very  restful  appearance.  I  only  wish  you 
could  see  it.  Have  started  a  school,  a  Sunday- 
school,  and  a  church  service  ;  it  is  very  interesting 
work,  and  I  thoroughly  enjoy  it.  Have  a  nice 
little  house  of  five  rooms  and  bath ;  two  colored 
servants,  a  man  and  his  wife." 

On  his  last  birthday,  April  16, 1896,  he  wrote 
to  the  eldest  of  his  three  sisters,  whose  birthday 
had  just  passed,  a  letter  of  congratulation,  and 
in  speaking  of  the  future,  says :  "  I  certainly 
hope  the  years  to  come  will  be  as  full  of  pleas- 
ure and  good  fortune  as  the  past  have  been,  for, 
taking  it  all  in  all,  every  one  of  us  has  had  a 
remarkably  smooth  road  to  travel  thus  far.  Of 
course  many  things  might  have  been  improved, 
but  so  it  must  always   be.     All  of  us  children 


32  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

should  be  especially  thankful  that  through  these 
years  we  have  had  such  good  parents,  who  have 
done  so  much  for  us.  The  older  we  grow,  the 
more  we  shall  appreciate  it.  As  for  myself, 
I  could  not  be  happier,  for  it  would  not  be  possi- 
ble to  find  an  equally  interesting  and  absorbing 
occupation.  It  gives  a  chance  for  business  and 
philanthropy,  for  work  and  study.  I  shall  not 
want  to  come  away  until  my  ideal  is  reached,  and 
hope  I  may  not  have  to  do  so,  much  as  I  should 
like  to  see  you  all,  and  be  in  Boston." 

In  May,  he  welcomed  his  parents  —  the  first 
visit  his  mother  had  made  to  his  Southern  home. 
It  was  a  very  busy  time,  all  effort  directed  to- 
wards setting  the  last  pieces  of  machinery  in 
motion.  He  took  great  pride  in  showing  his 
mother  what  he  had  accomplished,  and  in  ex- 
plaining his  plans  for  the  future  of  his  village. 

Before  daylight  on  the  morning  of  May  20,  he 
went  to  the  mill  to  superintend  the  moving  of 
an  electric  generator  which  had  reached  the  yard 
during  the  night,  and  which  he  was  very  desirous 
should  be  in  position  early  that  morning.  The 
men  had  moved  it  along  nearly  to  the  bridge 
crossing  from  the  storehouses  to  the  main  build- 
ing ;  with  the  light  of  their  lanterns  a  hasty 
examinatiou  was  made  to  see  that  everything 
was  secure.  The  machine  had  been  moved  but  a 
short  distance  on  the  bridge,  when  the  latter  gave 
way,  and  Gardner  fell  with  it,  the  machine  strik- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  33 

ing  him,  and  inflicting  dreadful  internal  injuries. 
He  was  moved  to  the  drug-store,  where  local 
physicians  were  summoned.  There  he  remained, 
bearing  his  suffering  most  bravely,  till  the  arrival 
late  that  night  of  a  surgeon  from  Chattanooga, 
when  he  was  removed  to  his  cottage.  Early  the 
next  morning  an  operation  was  performed,  which 
revealed  such  conditions  that  the  operating  sur- 
geon informed  his  parents  he  could  not  survive, 
and  would  probably  live  but  a  few  hours. 

After  he  had  recovered  from  the  immediate 
effect  of  the  surgical  treatment  his  parents  had 
an  interview  with  him,  and  noting  the  deep  feel- 
ing which  they  in  vain  endeavored  to  suppress,  he 
said,  "  You  evidently  think  there  is  no  hope  for 
me ; "  and  then,  "  I  feel  better  than  before  the 
operation,  and  while  there  is  life  there  is  hope." 
His  father  thought  best  he  should  know  the  opin- 
ion of  the  surgeon,  when,  after  a  moment's  pause, 
without  emotion,  he  remarked,  "  Well,  I  am  ready 
to  go,  but  I  would  like  to  live  to  finish  my  work 
here."  Later  he  seemed  to  be  sinking,  but  ral- 
lied, and  showed  such  vitality  that  it  was  thought 
there  might  be  hope  for  him. 

When  the  operatives  began  to  occupy  the 
houses,  they  brought  sickness  with  them,  which 
soon  became  epidemic ;  and  as  arrangements  for 
a  resident  physician  had  not  been  completed, 
Gardner  procured  medicines,  and,  as  he  wrote 
his  mother  at  the  time,  was  "  physician,  nurse, 


34  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

and  undertaker,"  working  hard  throughout  the 
day,  and  ready  for  calls  which  came  at  all  hours 
of  the  night. 

Because  of  this  interest  in  their  welfare,  he 
had  greatly  endeared  himself  to  his  little  com- 
munity, and   when   this   accident   occurred,  the 
greatest  anxiety  and  sorrow  prevailed.     It  was 
touching  to  hear  the  expressions  of  affection  and 
sympathy,  numbers  begging  that  they  might  see 
him  once  more,  and  saying  he  was  the  best  friend 
they  had  ever  known.      One  of   his  assistants, 
who  had  been  intimately   associated   with  him 
from  the  first,  was  confident  he  would  recover, 
saying,  "  Mr.  Nichols  has  been  such  an  example 
in  this  community  for  everything  that  is  good,  it 
does  n't  seem  possible  that  he  will  be  allowed  to 
die."     This  interest  of   his   operatives  was   re- 
ciprocated by  Gardner,  for  he  was  often  heard 
expressing  the  wish  that  he  might  be  permitted 
to  live  to  help  his   people.     His  friends   from 
the   adjoining   city  of  Gadsden,  who  from  the 
first  refused  to  leave  him,  were  unremitting  in 
loving   service;    trained   nurses   were   obtained, 
and  Dr.  H.  was  brought  from  Atlanta,  remain- 
ing  from  Friday  till  Sunday  morning.     Eight 
days  after  the  accident,  the  doctor  returned  with 
a  special  train  in  which  to  remove  him  to  his 
sanitarium. 

Before  leaving  Alabama  City,  forgetful  of  his 
constant  suffering,  Gardner  insisted  upon  seeing 


BIOGEAPHICAL  SKETCH.  35 

his  leading  foremen.  He  gave  them  definite  in- 
structions as  to  the  work,  and  to  one  of  the 
physicians  in  charge  of  his  operatives  his  last 
words  were :  "  Doctor,  look  well  after  my  people, 
and  let  none  of  them  die  while  I  am  away." 
Among  others,  two  little  boys  from  Gadsden 
came  to  bid  him  good-by.  They  were  great 
friends  of  his,  and  he  was  much  pleased  to  see 
them  as  they  came  in,  daintily  dressed,  bringing 
flowers.  He  greeted  them  cheerfully,  saying, 
"  R.  B.,  I  am  delighted  to  see  you,  and  little 
Conrad  too."  After  a  brief  stay  they  were  taken 
back  to  their  homes,  three  miles  away ;  but  in 
the  afternoon,  after  Gardner  had  been  placed  in 
the  car,  sturdy  little  R.  B.  came  bounding  in,  hav- 
ing begged  a  passing  teamster  to  take  him  over 
to  see  his  Mr.  Gardner  once  more. 

The  journey  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to 
Atlanta  was  comfortably  made;  on  arrival,  the 
mayor  of  the  city  was  at  the  station,  and  insisted 
on  walking  beside  the  stretcher  to  the  sanitarium, 
about  half  a  mile  distant.  Here  all  were  devoted 
in  their  ministrations,  and  everything  possible 
was  faithfully  and  lovingly  done.  It  seemed  at 
one  time  as  though  the  brave  spirit  would  conquer 
the  lacerated  body,  and  life  be  spared,  and  in 
this  hope,  his  father  left  for  home  to  attend  to 
some  pressing  duties.  But  soon  after  his  de- 
parture, Gardner  had  an  unfavorable  turn,  and 
gradually  grew  weaker,  falling  peacefully  asleep 


36  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

at  five  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  June  23.  As 
hopes  of  his  recovery  had  been  entertained,  his 
death  came  as  a  great  blow  to  those  who  had 
noted  each  change,  and  as  the  daj's  passed  on 
had  grown  more  and  more  hopeful.  The  daily 
papers  kept  his  friends  at  Gadsden  and  Ala- 
bama City  informed  of  his  condition,  and  at  the 
end  were  most  kindly  in  their  expressions  of 
sympathy. 

The  "  Chattanooga  Times  "  said :  — 
"  Mr.  Nichols  was  only  twenty-five  years  old, 
yet  he  had  sole  management  of  the  construction 
of  the  large  cotton  mill  of  the  Dwight  Manu- 
facturing Company  at  Alabama  City,  and  was  a 
young  man  of  exceptional  ability.  His  death  has 
cast  a  gloom  over  Gadsden,  for  he  was  beloved 
by  all  who  knew  him." 

The  "  Birmingham  State  Herald :  "— 
"In   the  death   of   Mr.  Nichols,  this  section 
loses  one  of  her  best  citizens.     He  was  loved  by 
everybody,  and  was  a  leader  among  men." 

A  local  paper :  "  All  the  chances  were  in  his 
favor,  so  far  as  health,  strength,  nerve,  a  well- 
kept  body  and  a  life  of  temperate  habits  were 
concerned,  but  the  odds  were  against  him  from 
the  start,  as  from  the  terrible  nature  of  his  inju- 
ries, it  was  impossible  for  him,  or  any  human 
being,  to  live  and  struggle  back  to  health ;  but  he 
made  a  brave,  strong  fight  for  life,  and  if  ever  a 
man  deserved  to  live,  he  did.     The  entire  city 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  37 

regrets  the  young  man's  death,  and  none  more 
than  the  '  Tribune.'  He  bade  fair  to  rise  to 
eminent  heights  in  the  business  world,  and  it  is 
always  sad  to  see  a  life  so  full  of  promise  go  out 
in  its  bloom." 

Every  morning,  so  long  as  he  was  able,  he 
read  the  service  from  the  Prayer  Book,  his  nurse 
reading  it  for  him  the  last  day,  shortly  before  he 
lapsed  into  unconsciousness.  The  letters  of  his 
nurses  to  his  mother  best  tell  of  his  last  hours. 

One  writes :  "  I  hardly  know  how  to  begin, 
but  perhaps  you  would  like  to  know  that  your 
boy  was  not  afraid  of  any  fate  that  awaited  him. 
One  morning  he  wanted  to  get  up  and  stand  on 
the  floor,  and  I  said, '  Why,  my  dear  Mr.  Nichols, 
don't  you  know  you  can't  do  that,  —  it  would 
almost  kill  you.'  He  looked  at  me  with  a  smile, 
saying,  '  Do  you  know,  I  've  been  thinking,  and 
I  'm  not  afraid  to  die.  It  is  hard  to  tell  just 
how  this  is  going  to  end,  but  I  do  not  fear  the 
consequences.'  The  morning  before  he  left  us, 
I  read  the  service  to  him.  After  Miss  B.  went 
down,  he  had  me  read  more,  then  we  talked 
about  his  little  village.  I  asked  him  what  de- 
nomination  the  church  in  the  village  would  be,  to 
which  he  answered,  '  It  will  belong  to  all  alike.' 
He  was  quiet  a  moment,  then  said,  '  I  feel  I  have 
done  my  duty  to  God  and  man  ;  I  have  been 
attending    the    Episcopal   Church   in    Gadsden 


38  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

regularly,  and  have  been  benefited,  and  believe 
all  is  well  with  me.'  I  wanted  to  tell  you  these 
things  while  you  were  here,  but  could  not,  nay 
heart  was  too  full.  He  spoke  often  of  his  home, 
his  village  and  his  people,  the  little  children  he 
so  loved,  of  his  youngest  sister,  whom  he  wanted 
to  see,  and  often  in  his  delirium  at  night  he  would 
think  i"  was  his  little  sister.  You  don't  know 
how  I  sympathize  with  you  in  your  loss,  and 
wish  it  might  have  been  otherwise;  if  such  a 
thing  had  been  possible,  I  would  gladly  have 
given  years  of  my  life  to  have  saved  your  boy. 
Such  a  life  as  his  is  a  loss,  not  only  to  those  who 
loved  him,  for  we  don't  know  what  the  world 
has  lost." 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  his  death  reached 
Gadsden,  a  meeting  of  the  City  Government  was 
called,  and  the  Hon.  R.  A.  Mitchell,  mayor  of 
the  city,  and  Mr.  T.  S.  Kyle  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  accompany  the  remains  to  Boston, 
and  gave  great  help  and  comfort  to  the  bereaved 
mother  on  the  sad  journey. 

On  the  afternoon  of  June  27,  when  all  nature 
seemed  to  welcome  him  who  loved  her  so  well, 
friends  far  and  near,  from  the  South  and  West, 
gathered  at  the  Newton  home  to  pay  their  last 
tribute  of  respect  and  affection.  It  was  fitting 
he  should  be  laid  among  flowers,  and  rarely 
beautiful  they  were.      A  large  shaft  was  sent 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  39 

by  the  employees  of  the  Dwight  Manufacturing 
Company  at  Chicopee,  who  could  only  be  re- 
strained from  the  most  lavish  giving  by  the 
agent's  telling  them  "  Mr.  Nichols  would  not  ap- 
prove of  extravagance."  Rev.  Dr.  Calkins  read 
comforting  passages  from  the  Scriptures.  Rev. 
Dr.  Davis  made  appropriate  remarks,  with  selec- 
tions from  favorite  hymns ;  and  a  prayer  and 
benediction  closed  the  simple  and  beautiful  ser- 
vice. 

All  that  is  mortal  of  Howard  Gardner  Nichols 
now  rests  in  Mount  Auburn. 

A  memorial  service  was  held  at  Alabama  City 
at  the  same  hour  as  that  at  Newton. 

A  lady  intimately  associated  with  Gardner  in 
his  philanthropic  work  writes  :  — 

"  Out  of  respect  to  you  we  decided  to  have 
Dr.  Richardson,  the  Presbyterian  minister,  con- 
duct the  service,  assisted  by  Mr.  Agricola,  lay- 
reader  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  as  Mr.  Gardner 
worshiped  with  us,  and  loved  our  service.  We 
learned  that  Dr.  Richardson  was  in  Kentucky, 
so  Mr.  Agricola  took  the  lead,  assisted  by  Dr. 
Boydston,  the  minister  of  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian Church,  who,  having  been  almost  con- 
stantly with  us,  was  well  acquainted  with  Mr. 
Gardner.  The  lady  organist  of  the  Gadsden 
church  presided   at  the  organ.     The    hall   was 


40  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 

filled  with  sympathizing  friends.  Special  seats 
were  reserved  for  Hattie  and  Gates,  Gardner's 
devoted  colored  servants. 

"  The  service  began  with  the  hymn,  '  Hark ! 
Hark!  my  Soul,'  then  all  the  congregation  re- 
peated the  Apostles'  Creed.  Mr.  Agricola  read 
the  Litany,  after  which  was  sung,  '  Asleep  in 
Jesus ; '  then  the  burial  service ;  the  beautiful 
Psalms  by  Mr.  Agricola  and  the  congregation. 
Dr.  Boydston  made  some  excellent  remarks, 
dwelling  on  the  fine  points  we  all  so  much  ad- 
mired. Mr.  Agricola  said  he  could  not  let  this 
opportunity  pass  without  expressing  his  thanks 
for  the  moral  lessons  he  had  learned  from  his 
observation  of  Mr.  Gardner's  daily  life.  One 
was  his  great  patience.  No  matter  what  busi- 
ness pressed,  he  gave  each  person  (and  there 
were  often  crowds)  an  attentive,  interested  hear- 
ing. He  listened  to  their  troubles  and  comforted 
them.  Again,  he  was  no  respecter  of  persons. 
The  workingman,  soiled  by  labor,  had  his  turn, 
even  if  he  did  come  in  advance  of  the  man  in 
goodly  attire.  Then  there  was  his  keen  appre- 
ciation of  the  force  of  example,  his  daily  trying 
to  do  as  he  would  be  done  by,  and  sacrificing 
personal  pleasure  where  the  indulgence  might  be 
a  stumbling-block  to  some  weaker  brother.  Mr. 
Agricola  closed  by  reading  one  of  Mr.  Gardner's 
favorite  hymns,  one  he  often  sang  and  played 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  41 

upon  his  violin,  'Now  the  clay  is  over.'     The 
last  two  stanzas  are  particularly  beautiful :  — 

'  Through  the  long  night  watches, 

May  Thine  angels  spread 

Their  white  wings  ahove  me, 

Watching  round  my  hed. 

4  When  the  morning  wakens, 

Then  may  I  arise, 
Pure,  and  fresh,  and  sinless, 
In  Thy  holy  eyes.' " 


PERSONAL  TRIBUTES. 

"The  Eiffel  Alp,  Zebmatt. 
"  While  at  Berlin,  a  home  letter  told  me  of 
the  accident.  Curiously  enough  I  had  just  been 
talking  with  Gardner  in  a  dream,  and  the  news 
came  all  the  more  directly  home  to  me.  I  looked 
eagerly  for  news,  and  rejoiced  when  all  seemed 
hopeful,  and  grew  sad  at  every  bad  report.  I 
cannot  tell  you  how  much  moved  I  was  at  the 
news  which  came  to  me  only  yesterday.  He  had 
been  making  such  a  gallant  fight  that  I  felt  he 
must  come  out  all  right.  I  simply  cannot  write  at 
all  calmly.  I  am  completely  unstrung.  I  knew 
little  of  what  Gardner  had  been  doing  in  the 
South,  but  mother  sends  me  an  account  of  his 
noble  activity  there.  I  have  seen  so  much  of  self- 
ish indulgence,  idle  dalliance,  and  wasted  oppor- 
tunity in  my  short  experience  that  the  thought 
of  even  so  short  a  career  of  honest  effort,  hard 
work,  and  sympathetic  devotion  to  others  seems 
a  long  life  and  a  well-rounded  career  in  compari- 
son. The  thought  of  what  such  a  life,  spared, 
might  be,  is  what  comes  home  so  crushingly  upon 
us.  What  such  a  life  eternally  is,  is  the  truer 
thought,  I  fancy." 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  43 

A  classmate  at  school  and  college  says :  — 
"  I  feel  his  loss  very  keenly,  but  as  I  think  of 
him  and  look  back  upon  his  life,  I  feel  sure  that 
my  life  will  be  made  better  for  having  come  in 
contact  with  his." 

The  following  tells  its  own  story  :  — 
"  Although  I  have  never  seen  you,  I  feel  very 
much  drawn  to  you  because  I  was  so  fond  of  your 
son  Gardner.  I  want  to  express  my  sorrow  and 
sympathy,  and  tell  you  how  much  Mr.  L.  and 
I  valued  his  friendship.  We  saw  a  good  deal 
of  him  in  Castine,  and  after  that  he  visited  us. 
The  more  we  saw  of  him  the  fonder  we  became  of 
him.  We  were  impressed  by  his  strength  of  char- 
acter, and  his  kindness  to  everybody.  We  liked 
to  talk  with  him,  and  enjoyed  his  bright  young 
manhood  and  his  happy  spirits.  Underneath  it 
all  we  felt  very  strongly  the  unusual  seriousness 
of  his  nature,  and  his  determination  to  be  of  use 
in  the  world.  Now  he  is  gone,  we  feel  the  loss 
very  keenly." 

The  principal  of  the  Boston  Latin  School, 
where  for  six  years  Gardner  was  a  pupil, 
writes :  — 

"  It  affords  me  satisfaction  to  tell  you,  I  am  not 
unmindful  of  the  great  loss  which  this  community 
has  sustained  by  the  death  of  Gardner.  No  one 
can  recall  his  association  with  him  without  bring- 


44  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

ing  up  the  pleasantest  memories  of  a  noble  life, 
which  gave  the  promise  of  a  most  beneficent  influ- 
ence in  his  future  career.  How  pure  and  gentle 
even  in  his  school-days,  yet  firm  as  a  rock  for  the 
right !  How  honorable  and  true  in  manhood ! 
Such  a  life  leaves  behind  it  a  fragrance  that  is 
rare,  and  ascends  to  heaven.  The  memory  of  it 
comforts  and  consoles  even  in  the  agony  of  be- 
reavement. When  Gardner  gave  me  his  photo- 
graph in  1889,  it  found  a  resting-place  here,  and 
has  never  been  removed.  Many  a  time  have  I 
looked  on  the  likeness  with  satisfaction  that  so 
honorable  a  boy  was  once  my  pupil." 

The  wife  of  one  of  the  professors  at  Harvard, 
in  whose  home  Gardner  was  a  frequent  guest, 
wrote  his  sister,  — 

"  It  seems  doubly  sad  that  one  so  fitted  for 
life  must  leave  it  almost  as  soon  as  he  had  shown 
his  real  qualities.  I  always  had  great  faith  in 
your  brother's  possibilities.  His  unusual  execu- 
tive abilities  and  his  faithfulness  to  little  duties 
seemed  to  me  a  rare  combination.  We  had  va- 
rious long  talks  together,  in  which  he  impressed 
me  strongly  with  his  high,  manly  purposes  and 


aims." 


Rev.  Dr.  G.  writes :  — 

"  There  is  in  my  heart  a  great  sadness  that  I 
should  miss  —  and  always  on  this   earth  —  the 


PERSOXAL   TRIBUTES.  45 

face  of  the  eager  and  fine-spirited  son  —  pride  of 
his  home,  of  whom  I,  as  friend  and  fellow  fra- 
ternity man,  thought  so  much.  Hearty  is  my 
sympathy  with  you  in  this  great  sorrow." 

A  saintly  friend,  who  has  since  passed  to  her 
reward,  says,  June  27 :  — 

"  I  believe  the  Lord  called  Gardner  to  the  won- 
derful work  he  has  achieved  at  the  South  ;  called 
him  to  be  the  helper  of  hundreds  of  toiling  men ; 
called  him  to  manifest  to  them  how  rich,  and 
deep,  and  full  an  earthly  life  can  be,  through 
earnest,  faithful,  consecrated  work;  and  in  so 
laying  secure  foundations  for  happy  human 
homes,  and  an  orderly  civil  life.  How  many 
hearts  are  touched  to  finer  issues,  through  the 
quickening  power  of  his  noble  self-forgetting 
manhood ;  how  long  will  shine  in  those  distant 
States  the  beacon  light  of  his  loving,  tireless 
influence ! " 

A  letter  from  Mrs.  N.  expresses  bereavement : 
"  We  also  feel  this  sorrow  as  a  personal  one, 
for  we  have  lost  a  dear  friend  in  your  son.  He 
was  more  of  a  comfort  to  us  in  our  trouble  than 
words  can  express,  so  often  sending  us  expressions 
of  tender  sympathy  when  our  hearts  seemed 
breaking  with  grief.  He  was  so  cheerful,  coura- 
geous, and  true  under  all  circumstances  that  it 
seems  as  though  a  bright  light  had  been  put  out, 


46  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

and  the  world  left  poor  and  dark  without  his 
radiant  spirit." 

Mr.  N.  writes  :  — 

"  I  well  remember  my  first  sight  of  Gardner. 
I  can  see  him  yet  at  some  distance  from  the  house, 
as  he  was  coming  towards  me,  with  one  of  my 
own  boys  on  either  side  of  him,  —  tall  and  erect, 
so  full  of  life  and  vigor,  so  much  of  manliness 
even  then  in  his  whole  make-up,  and  yet  so  mod- 
est, and  as  gentle  as  a  child.  From  the  first  he 
won  a  warm  place  in  our  hearts,  and  our  home 
was  open  to  him  as  it  had  never  been  opened  to 
any  one  before  or  since.  Those  were  lovely  sum- 
mer days  he  spent  with  us;  the  young  people 
were  fresh  from  school,  with  all  restraint  lifted, 
and  they  were  able  to  enjoy  to  the  full  whatever 
came  to  them. 

"  I  was  delighted  to  see  how  readily  he  adapted 
himself  to  all  the  different  forms  of  enjoyment 
that  were  before  him,  always  winning  the  esteem 
and  respect  of  those  with  whom  he  came  in  con- 
tact. He  was  in  every  way  a  most  manly  fellow, 
always  willing  to  do  his  share  in  the  way  of 
helping  things  along,  whether  in  the  drawing- 
room,  or  in  a  camping  expedition,  where  the  re- 
sources were  limited,  and  where  much  depended 
upon  what  each  one  could  do  to  make  the  expe- 
dition a  success. 

"  I  remember,  too,  what  a  great  love  of  nature 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  47 

was  his  ;  the  woods,  the  flowers,  and  the  birds, 
as  well  as  the  wayside  brook,  all  seemed  to  be 
old  friends;  he  knew  them  well,  and  nothing 
seemed  to  escape  his  observation. 

"  I  noticed,  too,  his  wonderful  power  to  rise 
above  the  little  petty  annoyances  that  are  often 
found  in  the  way  of  complete  success  in  a  day's 
outing ;  an  unfavorable  turn  in  the  weather,  or  a 
dry  and  dusty  road,  was  taken  by  him  as  a  matter 
of  course,  and  he  would  not  allow  it  to  interfere 
with  the  pleasure  and  enjoyment  before  him. 
"With  all  the  lovely  traits  possessed  by  him,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  he  so  thoroughly  won  his  way  into 
our  confidence  and  esteem  that  we  were  always 
glad  to  have  him  with  us.  It  gave  me  great  pleas- 
ure to  see  him  undertake  his  work  in  the  South  ; 
he  was  so  enthusiastic,  so  self-reliant,  and  so  full 
of  confidence,  that  I  had  no  doubt  of  his  success, 
and  the  only  fear  that  at  times  disturbed  me  was 
that  he  might  overwork,  and  thus  become  a  victim 
to  the  terrible  typhoid  that  prevailed  in  that  local- 
ity ;  but  it  never  occurred  to  me  that  an  accident 
of  any  kind  could  befall  him  ;  he  was  so  strong,  so 
alert,  and  always  seemed  so  well  able  to  take  care 
of  himself,  that  it  was  long  before  I  could  realize 
that  he  could  be  so  suddenly  stricken  down." 

"  After  his  terrible  injury,  what  a  manly  fight 
he  must  have  made  for  life,  lifted  up  as  he  was 
by  the  thought  and  hope  that  there  might  yet  be 
a  chance  for  him  to  do  much  for  those  who  still 


48  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

needed  his  help ;  and  when  this  was  denied  him, 
his  willingness  to  join  in  the  companionship  of 
those  who  had  been  among  his  dearest  of  earthly- 
friends,  to  me  is  very  pathetic. 

"  I  did  not  intend  to  say  as  much  as  this,  but 
my  mind  has  gone  back  to  those  happy  days  that 
will  never  come  back  to  me,  when  Gardner  and 
my  own  dear  boys  were  standing  on  the  thresh- 
old of  life,  with  all  its  pleasant  possibilities  before 
them." 

A  business  associate  says  :  — 

"  I  became  strongly  attached  to  him  during 
my  stay  with  him  in  the  South ;  a  better  or  more 
honorable  fellow  than  Gardner  never  lived,  and 
I  feel  his  loss  keenly." 

From  another  business  friend  comes  this  mes- 
sage :  — 

"  I  met  your  son  at  Chicopee,  and  at  our 
very  first  interview  he  won  a  high  place  in  my 
esteem.  His  character  was  so  transparent  and 
his  disposition  so  genial ;  yet,  with  all  his  attain- 
ments, he  was  so  unassuming  and  cordial  that, 

'  None  knew  him  but  to  love  him, 
None  named  him  but  to  praise.'  " 

A  neighbor,  whose  sons  had  grown  up  with 
Gardner,  writes :  — 

"  We  all  sympathize  with  you,  and  feel  that 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  49 

we,  too,  have  lost  a  very  dear  young  friend,  for 
Gardner  was  to  me  the  perfect  ideal  of  a  young 
man,  and  as  I  watched  him  grow  from  childhood 
to  manhood,  I  have  rejoiced  with  you  that  you 
had  such  a  beautiful  son." 

A  mother  in  Atlanta,  Georgia,  tells  us  :  — 
"  It  must  be  a  great  comfort  to  you  to  know 
that  your  son  was  such  a  fine  character ;  that  it 
was  not  just  mother  love  that  thought  so,  but  it 
was  acknowledged  by  all  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact.  I  shall  be  happy  indeed,  and  consider 
myself  most  fortunate,  if  I  can  succeed  in  mould- 
ing my  boy  into  such  a  man,  who  possessed  the 
respect  and  love  of  all  who  knew  him." 

From  the  "  Boston  Transcript,"  June  27, 1896 : 

H.   GARDNER  NICHOLS. 

An  ideal  life  cut  short  in  its  marvelous  early 
morning  strength  and  beauty !  An  ideal  charac- 
ter lost  to  love  and  honor  and  service  of  man- 
kind just  as  its  initial  page  of  manifestation  was 
complete ;  one  matchless  page  of  a  singularly 
heroic  career,  and  the  book  closed  by  a  strangely 
ruthless  fate. 

It  is  a  story  which  could  be  told  as  a  tale  of  the 
highest  that  modern  man  at  his  best  of  knowledge 
and  culture  and  power,  and  Christian  man  at  his 
richest   of   grace   and  truth,   has  achieved;  yet 


50  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

achieved  with  but  the  step  forward  from  youth, 
and  the  mere  threshold  of  a  great  career,  which 
death  at  twenty-five  means. 

The  Iliad  of  human  and  Christian  advance  in 
the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century  of  Christ,  and 
in  the  America  which  best  shows  that  advance, 
could  hardly  be  written  in  more  fit  form  than  by 
an  adequate  narrative  of  the  one  stage  of  achieve- 
ments which  Gardner  Nichols  had  brought  to  a 
close  when  a  sudden  stroke  of  fatal  injury,  and 
some  weeks  of  hopeless  heroic  struggle,  put  a 
period  to  his  life. 

Almost  immediately  upon  graduation  from 
Harvard  University  with  honors,  Mr.  Nichols 
undertook  an  enterprise  of  difficulty  and  mag- 
nitude, —  that  of  representing  his  father,  J. 
Howard  Nichols,  in  the  creation  of  a  model  cot- 
ton manufacturing  plant  at  Alabama  City,  Ala- 
bama, one  of  the  centres  of  the  new  South.  Not 
only  the  knowledge  and  judgment  of  a  rare 
scholar  in  practical  matters,  and  an  able  thinker 
as  well,  were  shown  in  Mr.  Nichols's  execution 
of  his  task,  but  there  appeared  in  it  also,  and  in 
his  life  in  this  new  field,  a  passionate  thoughtful- 
ness,  an  enthusiasm  of  humanity,  of  benevolence, 
and  of  manly  piety,  which  far  more  revealed  the 
Christ  of  divine  love  than  the  master  of  capital 
and  the  executor  of  plans  for  manufacture  and 
money-making. 

The  very  last  touch  of  the  great  work  which  is 


PEESOXAL   TRIBUTES.  51 

now  his  monument  was  the  occasion  of  his  death. 
In  the  placing  of  a  heavy  dynamo,  a  platform 
gave  way,  and  a  violent  lacerating  blow  left 
wounds  which  the  surgeons  could  not  hope  to 
deal  with.  Yet  for  some  weeks  Mr.  Nichols 
made  a  fight  for  life  which  at  least  added  one 
more  beautiful  memory  to  a  singularly  rich 
volume  of  remembrance.  Rev.  Dr.  Calkins,  who 
is  assisting  this  afternoon  in  the  final  service  at 
Newton,  speaks  from  fifteen  years'  knowledge, 
when  he  says  that  eulogy  cannot  exaggerate  the 
example  which  this  rare  gentleman  and  noble 
Christian  has  left. 

E.  C.  T. 

From  the  "  Tribune,"  Rome,  Georgia :  — 

BLIGHTED   HOPES. 

I  do  not  know  when  anything  has  impressed 
me  more  deeply  than  the  death  of  young  H. 
Gardner  Nichols,  in  Atlanta. 

So  bright,  so  brave,  so  young,  so  full  of  the 
promise  of  noble  manhood,  he  was  cut  down  like 
a  flower  that  had  reached  not  its  fullness. 

It  was  my  privilege  to  know  him  only  slightly, 
but  the  acquaintanceship  was  one  of  the  pleas- 
antest  in  my  experience. 

As  a  boy  he  is  said  to  have  displayed  evidences 
of  those  admirable  traits  of  character  that  devel- 
oped as  he  grew  to  man's  estate. 


52  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

A  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  he  had  the 
additional  advantage  of  daily  contact  with  practi- 
cal business  methods. 

When  the  idea  of  establishing  a  Southern 
branch  was  first  conceived,  he  entered  into  it  with 
a  spirit  and  energy  that  were  remarkable  in  a 
man  of  his  age. 

He  was  of  a  careful  and  painstaking  disposi- 
tion, the  very  soul  of  energy,  active,  and  filled 
with  that  forceful  enthusiasm  which  has  made  the 
name  of  Americans  synonymous  with  successful 
progressi  veness . 

He  came  South  at  the  time  that  Gadsden,  or 
rather  Alabama  City,  was  decided  upon  as  the 
most  eligible  point  for  the  location  of  the  South- 
ern branch. 

He  was  untiring  in  his  energy  and  persever- 
ance. He  looked  after  all  the  details  of  the 
construction  of  the  mill,  and  nothing  escaped  his 
untiring  vigilance. 

He  was  but  twenty-five  years  old,  yet  his  busi- 
ness sagacity  was  more  highly  developed  than 
that  of  most  men  of  twice  his  age. 

He  won  friends  among  his  social  associates  as 
well  as  among  those  who  had  business  dealings 
with  him,  and  no  man  was  more  popular  in  the 
circle  in  which  he  moved  than  Gardner  Nichols. 

It  was  with  a  feeling  of  sadness  ineffable  that 
I,  even  though  I  was  but  slightly  acquainted  with 
the  young  man,  heard  of  the  distressing  accident 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  53 

that  was  such  a  cruel  shock  to  those  whose  high- 
est hopes  were  centred  upon  him. 

He  struggled  manfully  and  battled  bravely  for 
life,  and  was  given  every  assistance  that  love  and 
devotion  could  render,  but  all  without  avail. 

In  the  flower  of  his  youth,  with  the  earliest  lau- 
rels of  youthful  achievement  fresh  and  unfaded 
upon  his  boyish  brow,  he  was  removed  from  the 
earthly  sphere  which  he  adorned  to  that  higher 
region  beyond  our  ken. 

He  was  a  true  type  of  the  honorable,  ambitious 
young  American,  and  he  has  gone  to  his  grave, 
mourned  alike  by  lifetime  comrades  and  new- 
found friends. 

The  light  of  a  hopeful  life  went  out  when  the 
soul  of  H.  Gardner  Nichols  took  its  flight  to  the 
realms  beyond. 

M.  M.  F. 

The  lady  whose  account  of  the  Memorial 
Service  has  been  given,  and  who  has  charge  of 
the  school  established  by  Gardner,  writes  again : 

"  I  do  so  miss  your  son  !  I  often  wonder  if  it 
is  possible  for  him  to  be  missed  in  all  the  varied 
departments  of  the  work  as  he  is  in  mine.  It 
seems  to  me  that,  next  to  his  immediate  family, 
the  blow  falls  most  heavily  on  me.  We  so  often 
discussed  together  the  ways  and  means  to  uplift 
his  people.  Both  of  us  being  of  a  hopeful  dis- 
position, we  expected  in  ten  years,  with  a  school 


54  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

equal  in  all  details  to  the  best,  a  marvelous 
ohange  —  a  model  city  with  model  operatives  — 
that  is,  kindly,  industrious,  cleanly,  and  some- 
what advanced  in  education.  But,  alas !  alas  ! 
for  all  our  castle-building  in  a  missionary  way. 
Your  son  and  I  attended  the  Easter  services,  the 
last  time  we  were  together  in  the  little  Gadsden 
church.  The  '  dummy  '  not  running  to  accommo- 
date church-goers,  we  walked  back,  so  as  to  be 
in  time  for  our  own  service.  I  shall  never  for- 
get that  walk.  Of  course  *  our  work '  was  the 
principal  theme  ;  that  the  want  of  gratitude,  the 
want  of  appreciation  should  never  deter  one  from 
a  faithful  following  of  duty, — duty,  not  as  the 
world  sees  it,  but  as  the  earnest,  humble  follower 
of  Christ  sees  it.  Appreciation  gives  courage, 
but  courage  should  be  of  that  kind  which  does 
not  die  for  want  of  it.  As  much  as  I  need  the 
school-house,  I  dread  to  see  it  begun,  so  fearful 
am  I  that  it  will  be  a  disappointment.  It  would 
have  been  all  right,  if  Mr.  Gardner  could  have 
superintended,  as  he  worked  for  the  future,  as 
well  as  for  the  present.  The  day-school  closed 
June  26.  "Weeks  before,  the  27th  had  been  set 
for  our  concert,  and  we  were  making  elaborate 
preparations  for  us.  But,  alas  !  instead  of  songs 
of  joy,  on  that  day  we  held  our  Memorial  Service." 

The  following  are  from  men  of  affairs,  whose 
age  and  experience  give  weight  to  their  words. 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  55 

"Trion,  Georgia. 

"I  have  known  enough  of  your  son,  and  of 
the  hopes  and  plans  you  had  built  on  the  rich 
promise  of  his  young  manhood,  to  have  some 
sense  of  the  weight  of  this  blow ;  but,  even  in 
the  depth  of  your  grief,  you  may  find  comfort  in 
recalling  his  well-spent  youth,  and  the  abundant 
measure  of  pride  and  satisfaction  which  has 
already  rewarded  your  fatherly  care.  Life  is  not 
measured  by  length  of  days,  but  by  the  work 
done ;  and,  so  judged,  your  son  lived  far  longer 
than  his  years  would  show ;  I  would  we  might  all 
say  the  same  !  " 

"  Rome,  Georgia. 

"  In  the  death  of  your  noble  son,  the  commu- 
nity in  which  he  labored  and  built  so  wisely  and 
so  well  has  sustained  a  loss  beyond  repair." 

"  Alabama  City,  Alabama. 

"My  emotion  is  too  great  to  express,  for  I 
keenly  feel  your  great  loss  and  ours.  I  can  truly 
say  that  never  in  all  my  life  have  I  met  a  young 
man  who  gave  promise  of  a  better  and  more  use- 
ful life  than  your  son.  You  can  find  great  con- 
solation in  knowing  that  you  had  a  noble  boy. 
The  world  would  be  better  did  it  have  more  like 
him." 

"  Gadsden,  Alabama. 

"  Your  son  commanded  the  admiration  and 
high  esteem  of   all   who   had   the   privilege   of 


56  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

knowing  him,  but  the  kindly  courtesies  extended 
to  me  in  our  business  intercourse  caused  me  to 
regard  him  as  my  personal  friend.  His  bravery 
aroused  the  deep  admiration  of  the  whole  com- 
munity, and  his  death  is  a  public  sorrow." 

The  attorneys  employed  by  Gardner  write  :  — 
"My  partner  and  I  extend  our  sincere  sym- 
pathy in  the  great  loss  you  have  suffered,  and 
which  has  fallen  on  us  all.  During  our  ac- 
quaintance and  association  with  your  son,  we 
had  learned  to  esteem  most  highly  his  business 
acumen  and  his  moral  worth,  and  we  shall  ever 
cherish  his  memory." 

A  prominent  business  man  of  Gadsden  thus 
expresses  the  sentiment  of  not  only  that  city, 
but  of  the  whole  section  :  — 

"  If  there  is  any  consolation  in  human  sym- 
pathy, you,  in  your  deep  distress,  should  be 
greatly  comforted.  Our  whole  section,  I  may 
safely  say  every  man,  woman,  and  child  who 
knew  your  noble  son,  mourns  with  you  his  un- 
timely death.  His  devotion  to  business,  his  ten- 
der regard  for  the  amenities  of  life,  his  respect 
and  consideration  for  the  worthy  poor,  won  all 
hearts.  We  shall  miss  him  as  no  man  of  his 
age  was  ever  missed  in  Alabama.  He  had,  as  it 
were,  become  a  member  of  our  family.  We  felt 
for  him  in  all  his  endeavors,  and  delighted  to 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  57 

lend  our  feeble  aid  in  advancing  his  interests. 
It  is  no  fulsome  flattery  to  say  that  your  son  was 
the  best  '  all-around '  man  of  his  age  I  ever  knew, 
and  in  his  death  our  section  has  suffered  an  ir- 
reparable loss.  He  would  have  done  more  to 
aid  in  building  up  our  industrial  interests  than 
any  one  will  ever  do,  for  his  heart  was  in  the 
work.  He  would  have  elevated  and  ennobled 
his  operatives,  giving  them  a  new  idea  of  life, 
and  by  a  personal  supervision  of  their  surround- 
ings he  would  have  awakened  higher  aspirations. 
All  feel  this,  and  doubly  mourn  his  loss.  Dear 
friends,  your  son's  precious  memory  will  be  per- 
petuated in  the  magnificent  plant  erected  by  him. 
His  words  of  sympathy  will  be  treasured  by  the 
worthy  poor  in  whom  he  manifested  such  an  in- 
terest ;  and  long  after  you  and  I  have  gone  to 
meet  him  in  the  unknown  beyond,  the  name  of 
Gardner  Nichols  will  still  be  a  household  word 
in  north  Alabama.  Take  comfort  in  the  reflec- 
tion that  God  honored  you  to  be  the  parents  of 
such  a  noble  son,  and  let  sweet  memories  of  him 
cheer  you  along  life's  pathway.  When  death 
summons  you,  you  know  that  you  will  meet  him 
among  those  who  honored  God  and  kept  his 
commandments." 

The  following  heart-felt  words  from  men  more 
nearly  Gardner's  age,  and  who  were  intimately 
associated  with  him,  not  only  in  business,  but 


58  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

also  in  friendly  intercourse,  throw  a  still  more 
lovable  light  upon  his  life  and  character. 

His  instructor  in  telegraphy  says :  — 
"  I  loved  your  dear  boy  as  if  he  had  been  my 
own  brother.  I  was  attached  to  him  by  esteem 
and  affection,  and  there  was  nothing  in  the  world 
I  would  not  have  tried  to  do  for  him.  He  was 
all  that  was  good  and  noble.  We  used  to  take 
little  trips  in  the  mountains  together,  and  would 
stop  by  some  brook  and  spread  our  lunch.  I  re- 
member one  evening  when  we  were  leisurely  rid- 
ing home  in  the  moonlight,  that  our  conversation 
drifted  to  the  pains  and  sorrows  of  the  world, 
and  he  said  that  he  was  willing  to  die  at  any 
time,  that  death  had  absolutely  no  terror  for 
him ;  and  at  the  same  time  he  remarked  that  he 
felt  his  two  dear  friends,  the  N.'s,  were  often 
with  him  in  spirit." 

The  three  following  tributes  are  from  young 
men  who  were  in  Gardner's  employ  :  — 

"  I  cannot  express  the  sympathy  I  feel  for 
you  all.  If  there  is  anything  in  the  world  I  can 
do,  I  shall  feel  as  if  I  was  doing  a  labor  of  love 
for  my  departed  friend,  whom  I  miss  more  and 
more  as  the  days  go  by.  I  saw  Mr.  M.  yester- 
day, and  he  told  me  all  about  the  services  in 
Newton.  Was  so  sorry  I  could  not  be  there, 
but  felt  it  my  duty  to  stay  here.     I  know  Mr. 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  59 

Gardner  would  have  thought  so.  I  want  to  see 
everything  carried  out  as  he  desired,  and  will  do 
all  in  my  power  to  that  end.  All  the  instruc- 
tions he  gave  me  that  last  morning  before  he 
was  taken  to  Atlanta,  I  have  followed  as  closely 
as  I  could." 

The  next  is  from  a  young  man  who  was  so 
devoted  to  Gardner  that  he  wished  to  watch  with 
him  day  and  night.  One  night  Gardner  sent 
him  from  the  room  four  times,  telling  him  to 
"  go  and  get  some  rest,"  but  each  time  the  poor 
fellow  came  stealing  back,  unable  to  stay  away 
from  the  friend  he  so  much  loved,  and  whom  he 
so  passionately  longed  to  help  :  — 

"  No  one  will  miss  your  son  more  than  I,  for  I 
have  lost  a  friend  who  could  and  would  do  more 
for  me  than  anybody  on  earth.  I  shall  never 
forget  what  he  has  done  for  me  in  the  last  year 
and  a  half.  He  was  just  as  good  and  kind  to 
me  as  if  I  had  been  his  brother." 

The  youngest  of  the  group  writes  :  — 
"  I  want  to  express  to  you  my  sincere  sym- 
pathy and  condolence  in  your  great  grief,  the 
weight  of  which  is  surely  a  heavy  burden.  I  am 
almost  overwhelmed  with  sorrow  myself  at  the 
loss  of  one  whose  many  acts  of  kindness  and 
expressions  of  confidence,  in  both  word  and  deed, 
leave  no  manner  of  doubt  of  his  true  friendship 


60  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

for  me.  In  all  my  associations  with  him  (nearly 
a  year  and  a  half)  in  his  business  office,  never  a 
word  of  displeasure  escaped  his  lips,  nor  even  a 
sign  of  impatience  was  ever  visible.  He  taught 
me  what  I  know  of  business.  He  set  before  me 
many  examples  of  benevolence,  morality,  Chris- 
tian love,  and  charity,  and  I  want  to  say  that  it 
shall  be  my  purpose  in  life  to  emulate  his  many 
virtues  and  his  noble  character  as  seen  by  me, 
and  that  his  memory  will  ever  be  sacred  to  me." 

One  wonders  how  many  such  testimonies  of 
patient  and  upright  living  could  be  given.  No 
"word  of  displeasure,  no  sign  of  impatience" 
during  those  months  of  perplexing  care  and  hard 
labor. 

As  he  was  in  business,  so  was  he  in  home  life, 
as  shown  by  the  letter  from  Mrs.  E. :  — 

"  The  remembrance  of  your  noble  son  here  in 
our  mountain  home  comes  back  so  vividly  to  me 
to-night,  as  I  sit  sorrowing  over  the  untimely 
end  of  his  bright  young  life.  Here  is  where  he 
cast  his  lot  among  us,  and  our  home  was  the 
first  he  called  home  in  this  sunny  Southland.  We 
recall  with  pleasure  his  gentle  companionship ; 
even  the  little  incidents  of  his  life  with  us  are 
refreshing  memories.  While  he  was  with  us  he 
awakened  in  us  the  tender  interest  of  sweet 
friendship.     Many   hearts   mourn   with  you  in 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  61 

this  bitter  sorrow,  and  feel  deeply  the  loss  you 
have  sustained.  We  realize  that  in  the  death  of 
your  courageous,  noble  son  our  community  has 
lost  one  of  its  most  valuable  citizens,  one  to 
whom  we  could  point  our  sons  as  an  example  of 
manly  virtue,  energy,  ambition,  fidelity,  courage, 
and  endurance.  We  who  knew  him  in  our 
homes  know  his  most  lovable  traits.  We  feel 
that  our  homes  have  been  honored  by  his  abiding 
in  them.  We  shall  ever  tenderly  revere  his 
memory,  and  shall  point  with  pride  to  the  grand 
work  of  his  heart  and  hands  in  our  midst." 

A  Gadsden  gentleman  writes :  — 

"  We  feel  that  the  half  has  not  been  said  that 
might  have  been  truthfully  written.  Gardner's 
life  was  an  inspiration  to  young  men,  and  one 
that  should  not  and  will  not  be  forgotten  by 
any  who  knew  him.  We  miss  him  very  much, 
and  shall  always  remember  him  with  deepest 
affection." 

The  "  Tribute  of  Respect  "  given  below  bears 
the  date  of  Gadsden,  Alabama,  July  9,  1896. 

"  Our  friend  H.  Gardner  Nichols,  having 
passed  from  this  life  into  the  greater  and  better 
life,  the  task  of  delineating  his  character  as  a 
man  and  a  friend  belongs  to  those  who  have 
known  him  from  his  youth  up.  It  may,  however, 
be  permitted  his  friends  who  have  known  him  but 


62  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

a  few  short  months,  yet  who  have  been  deeply 
impressed  by  his  noble  character,  to  echo  their 
sentiments  of  deep  esteem,  and  to  show  in  what 
manner  he  was  held  by  all  who  knew  him  well. 
His  death,  coming  as  it  did  without  the  decay  of 
years,  a  youth  cut  down  in  the  flower  of  his  young 
manhood,  just  at  the  threshold  of  what  gave 
promise  of  a  long  and  useful  career,  has  its 
peculiar  sorrow  for  those  who  have  been  favored 
by  his  friendship,  and  are  left  to  mourn  his  loss. 
He  came  to  this  community  in  the  full  vigor  of 
youth,  equipped  with  an  extraordinary  intellect, 
and  with  a  form  evidencing  perfect  health,  and, 
after  but  a  few  months,  during  which  time  he 
touched  every  heart  with  beautiful  and  indelible 
impressions,  he  goes  from  us,  not  back  to  his 
native'  land,  but,  answering  '  Ready  ! '  to  the  sum- 
mons to  the  better  world,  'he  lies  down  in  the 
night  of  Death,  and  awakens  in  the  morning  of 
Eternity ! '  Although  his  career  was  brief,  like  a 
meteor  it  shed  forth  a  brightness  which  illumined 
the  sphere  through  which  he  passed. 

"  He  was  honest.  In  his  judgment,  honesty  was 
an  element  which  every  decent  character  should 
possess.  He  was  ambitious,  too,  and  did  possess 
a  well-rounded  character ;  he  was  ardent  and 
honorable  as  a  friend,  was  no  hypocrite,  who  for 
the  sake  of  policy  hid  his  real  sentiments ;  he 
was  philanthropic,  keenly  feeling  the  wants  of 
the  poor,  and  his  death  was  their  loss.     Yet  he 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  63 

stood  not  in  public  places  to  offer  alms,  but  dis- 
pensed bis  gifts  witb  the  quiet  reserve  of  true 
charity.  He  was  deeply  religious,  in  that  he  be- 
lieved true  religion  constituted  the  art  of  higher 
living. 

"  His  courage  was  sublime,  and  when  convinced 
of  the  correctness  of  his  position,  threats  of  per- 
sonal violence  could  not  swerve  him  the  breadth 
of  a  hair  from  holding  steadfastly  to  his  purpose, 
until  the  desired  end  was  accomplished. 

"  He  knew  not  failure.  Difficulties  at  which 
most  men  would  halt  and  turn  back  seemed  only 
incentives  to  a  trial  of  strength,  and  he  would 
attack  and  overcome  them  with  a  spirit  and 
adeptness  marvelous  to  behold.  His  extraordi- 
nary faculty  for  controlling  business  affairs  came 
not  alone  from  knowledge  or  experience,  there 
was  that  in  him  which  operated  independently 
of  tuition.  His  was  the  '  spontaneous  force  of 
an  untrammeled  soul,  genius.'  Before  reaching 
the  age  of  twenty-four,  he  was  intrusted  with  a 
work  of  great  proportions,  and  had  nearly  com- 
pleted it  in  a  manner  above  criticism. 

"  Having  gathered  around  him,  in  the  little  hill 
village,  more  than  a  thousand  souls  who  looked 
to  him  as  employer  and  protector,  he  had  im- 
pressed his  individuality  upon  them  by  taking 
an  active  interest  in  their  welfare  both  temporal 
and  spiritual.  He  was  ready  to  serve,  and  did 
serve  them  day  and  night ;  he  taught  them  how 


64  PERSONAL  TRIBUTES. 

to  live ;  visited  them  when  sick,  ministering  to 
every  necessity ;  and  when  he  was  dying,  he 
expressed  the  greatest  sorrow  that  he  should  be 
called  away  before  he  had  completed  the  work  of 
elevating  them  to  a  higher  plane. 

"  Having  the  interest  of  his  people  at  heart,  and 
being  imbued  with  a  spirit  of  reform  antagonistic 
to  vices  in  every  form,  he  was  not  loath  to  take 
upon  himself  the  government  of  the  town  in 
which  he  resided,  and  as  its  Chief  Magistrate 
frame  laws  that  would  insure  economy,  and  pre- 
vent a  vicious  social  life.  Possessing  the  air  of 
one  mature  in  years,  he  found  pleasure  in  that 
which  was  instructive,  ever  shunning  the  frivoli- 
ties of  life,  and  never  forsaking  business  obliga- 
tions to  take  up  matters  of  less  importance,  but 
ready  to  step  aside  to  speak  a  pleasant  word 
or  to  do  an  act  of  kindness.  One  trait  of  char- 
acter, his  faithfulness  to  his  friends,  we  would 
emphasize  again.  Those  whom  he  loved  never 
tired  him ;  he  drew  his  friends  to  him,  and  bound 
them  with  the  bonds  of  love,  and  his  friendship 
was  always  ready  for  any  test  or  trial.  Belong- 
ing to  a  better  and  a  higher  age,  he  lived  in 
advance  of  his  many  associates.  We,  who  be- 
lieve the  world  grows  better,  and  minds  grow 
brighter,  can  foresee  many  such  characters  as  his 
in  the  future  generations.  We  look  upon  his  life 
here  as  one  borrowed  of  the  future,  and  given  us 
as  one  worthy  of  emulation." 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  65 

The  Mayor  of  Gadsden,  Alabama,  with  which 
city  Gardner  seemed  to  be  almost  as  closely  iden- 
tified as  with  his  own,  sends  this  sincere  and  lov- 
ing memorial  of  the  friend  he  valued  so  highly : 

"  The  death  of  Gardner  was  to  me  a  great 
personal  loss  and  affliction.  I  knew  him  inti- 
mately, and  had  learned  to  love  him  as  a  brother, 
to  admire  him  for  his  unsullied  and  exalted  char- 
acter, for  his  many,  many  noble  traits  of  head  and 
heart,  and  for  the  wonderfully  harmonious  devel- 
opment of  his  faculties.  These  manly  character- 
istics were  not  held  in  reserve,  and  used  as  on 
'  dress  parade,'  but  were  conspicuous  in  his  every- 
day life,  and  were  part  and  parcel  of  his  very 
existence.  His  manner  towards  his  friends  was 
elegant  in  its  naturalness  and  simplicity,  and  he 
possessed  that  indescribable  grace  called  '  charm,' 
in  a  most  marked  degree.  His  every  action 
seemed  to  say,  '  I  would  rather  be,  than  seem  to 
be,'  and  was  the  very  antithesis  of  show.  I  want 
to  say,  for  his  credit  and  for  your  comfort,  that 
if  ever  a  young  man  held  as  the  guiding  star  of 
his  conduct  the  injunction  of  Solomon,  '  My  son, 
hear  the  instruction  of  thy  father,  and  forsake 
not  the  law  of  thy  mother,'  Gardner  did.  His 
devotion  to  his  parents,  and  his  loyalty  to  the 
teachings  you  gave  him  in  his  early  youth,  were 
matters  which  he  frequently  mentioned  in  con- 
versation with  me,  and  which  he,  without  excep- 
tion, always  exhibited  in  his  conduct  towards  his 


66  PERSONAL   TRIBUTES. 

fellow-men.  His  observance  of  proper  lines  of 
conduct  was  beautiful ;  he  was  as  chaste  and 
elegant  in  his  conversation  with  men  as  the  most 
refined  and  cultured  woman.  I  always  felt  bet- 
ter for  a  long  talk  with  him.  He  inspired  others 
to  nobler  thought  and  achievement,  and  was  as 
magnetic  and  forceful  a  man  as  I  ever  met.  He 
was  an  ornament  to  his  family,  and  to  the  grand 
commonwealth  which  gave  him  birth,  and  a  bless- 
ing to  our  loved  Southland  in  which  he  had  cast 
his  lot,  and  where  he  seemed  so  happy  in  the 
great  work  he  wrought.  I  feel  the  world  is 
better  for  his  having  lived  in  it,  and  could  he 
have  been  spared  to  us,  what  great  things  were 
in  store  for  him  !  In  one  sense  he  is  not  dead, 
for  to  '  live  in  the  hearts  we  leave  behind  is  not 
to  die.'  I  often  think  of  the  very  enjoyable  trip 
he  and  I  took  to  Montgomery  about  two  years 
ago,  when  I  went  down  to  introduce  him  to  my 
friends,  Governor  Jones  and  Governor  Oates. 
Each  of  these  gentlemen  spoke  to  me  of  him  some 
time  afterward.  He  had  impressed  them  as  a 
young  man  of  high  character,  earnestness,  and 
great  capacity  for  affairs.  They  were  delighted 
that  he  had  come  to  our  State  and  would  be  one 
of  us,  predicting  that  he  would  be  a  leader  in  his 
chosen  line  of  business.  Had  he  lived,  I  think 
he  would  have  loved  our  people  and  been  devoted 
to  our  State.  Alabama  would  have  felt  the  im- 
press of  his  genius,  as  our  locality  now  feels  it, 


PERSONAL   TRIBUTES.  67 

and  he  would  have  become  a  factor  in  her  affairs. 
"We  needed  him  in  our  midst,  and  his  death  is 
the  State's  loss.  It  must  be  your  greatest  conso- 
lation to  know  that  Gardner  was  so  good;  his 
life  was  an  honor  to  his  parents  ;  and  his  exem- 
plary conduct  worthy  of  all  admiration.  Not  one 
of  the  least  of  his  characteristics  was  his  big-heart- 
edness.  The  poor,  the  destitute,  the  afflicted, 
the  unfortunate,  appealed  to  his  heart  with  great 
effect.  These  classes  always  touched  a  respon- 
sive chord  in  his  bosom ;  for  them  he  had  a 
tender  sympathy.  His  inclination  in  this  direc- 
tion was  unusually  strong,  and  I  am  quite  sure 
works  of  philanthropy  would  have  engaged  his 
later  years  had  his  life  been  spared. 

"  I  read  a  passage  not  long  since,  which  comes 
nearer  describing  Gardner  than  anything  I  can 
write  ;  it  is  this  :  — 

"  '  He  was  chaste  in  his  life,  just  in  his  dealings, 
true  to  his  word,  merciful  to  those  who  were 
under  him,  and  hating  nothing  so  much  as  idle- 
ness ;  in  matters  especially  of  moment,  he  was 
never  wont  to  rely  on  other  men's  care,  how 
trusty  or  skillful  soever  they  might  seem  to  be, 
but,  always  contemning  danger  and  refusing  no 
toil,  he  was  wont  himself  to  be  one  (whoever  was 
a  second)  at  every  turn  where  courage,  skill,  or 
industry  was  to  be  employed.'  This  quotation 
would  make  a  fitting  epitaph  for  his  monument." 


OFFICIAL  TRIBUTES. 

RESOLUTIONS  OF  RESPECT 

passed  by  gadsden  city  council  on  the  death  of 
hon.  h.  gardner  nichols. 

Council  Chamber,  City  of  Gadsden,  Ala. 

Call  meeting  of  the  Board  held  this  23d  day 
of  June,  1896.  Mayor  Mitchell  explained  object 
of  the  meeting  to  take  action  on  the  death  of 
the  Hon.  H.  Gardner  Nichols,  which  occurred  at 
5.13  P.  M.,  this  instant,  at  Dr.  Holmes's  Sani- 
tarium, in  the  city  of  Atlanta,  Georgia. 

After  a  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased 
by  Mayor  Mitchell,  Alderman  Green  offered  the 
following  preamble  and  resolutions,  which  were 
adopted  by  a  unanimous  vote  :  — 

Whereas,  We  learn  of  the  death  of  our  late 
fellow  citizen,  the  Hon.  H.  Gardner  Nichols, 
mayor  of  Alabama  City,  as  the  result  of  an  acci- 
dent which  occurred  at  the  Dwight  Mill,  on  the 
20th  of  May,  striking  down  in  the  very  dawn  of 
his  young  manhood  one  of  the  grandest  charac- 
ters with  whom  it  has  ever  been  our  fortune  to 
meet,  bringing  sorrow  to  the  hearts  of  all  our 
people  without  regard  to  rank  or  station, 


OFFICIAL  TRIBUTES.  69 

Be  it  Resolved,  That  this  Board,  represent- 
ing and  voicing  the  sentiments  of  all  and  every 
class  of  our  population,  hereby  tender  to  the 
family  of  the  deceased  our  heartfelt  sympathy, 
assuring  them  that  we  feel  that  Massachusetts,  in 
giving  us  as  a  citizen  Hon.  H.  Gardner  Nichols, 
gave  us  one  of  her  brightest  jewels,  and  we 
honored  and  loved  him  as  though  he  was  "to  the 
manor  born."  Alabama  mingles  her  tears  with 
Massachusetts  in  this  sad  hour,  and  we  can  truly 
say  that  the  short  life  of  Mr.  Nichols  demon- 
strated the  fact  that  sterling  worth,  active  indus- 
try, strict  fidelity,  and  noble  charity  are  always 
appreciated,  and  are  honored  and  respected  in 
every  land  and  by  all  people. 

The  Hon.  H.  Gardner  Nichols's  memory  will 
live  in  Alabama  so  long  as  the  noble  qualities 
of  heart  and  mind  he  possessed  are  appreciated, 
and  his  example  of  exalted  manhood  will  be  re- 
membered as  a  beacon  light  to  which  the  young 
men  of  our  State  will  be  pointed  as  worthy  of 
their  highest  emulation. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  mark  of  the  high  esteem 
and  appreciation  in  which  the  Hon.  H.  Gardner 
Nichols  was  held  by  our  citizens,  the  Hon.  R.  A. 
Mitchell,  mayor  of  the  city  of  Gadsden,  and  Mr. 
T.  S.  Kyle  be,  and  they  are  hereby  appointed  by 
this  council  as  an  escort  to  attend  the  body  from 
Atlanta  to  Boston ;  and  that  this  preamble  and 
these   resolutions  be  spread  upon  the  minutes, 


70  OFFICIAL   TRIBUTES. 

and  that  a  copy  of  the  same  be  forwarded  to 
the  family  of  Mr.  J.  Howard  Nichols,  at  Boston, 
Massachusetts. 

Resolved,  That  we  deeply  sympathize  with  the 
people  of  our  neighboring  town,  Alabama  City, 
in  their  loss  of  the  official  head  of  that  munici- 
pality, their  distinguished  young  mayor,  who  had 
the  development  of  that  city  and  the  welfare  of 
its  people  so  deeply  at  heart ;  to  them  it  is  an 
irreparable  loss. 

RESOLUTIONS  OF  RESPECT 

PASSED  BY  THE  ALABAMA  CITY  COUNCIL   ON  THE  DEATH 
OF   HON.   H.   GARDNER  NICHOLS. 

The  following  resolutions  of  respect  were 
passed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  Alabama 
City,  on  Saturday,  June  27,  1896  :  — 

Whereas,  It  hath  pleased  Almighty  God  to 
remove  from  our  midst  our  beloved  mayor,  the 
Hon.  H.  Gardner  Nichols,  and 

Whereas,  Our  said  mayor,  although  a  com- 
parative stranger  to  our  community,  had  en- 
deared himself  to  every  one  in  both  his  official 
and  private  capacity,  by  his  uniform  courtesy, 
kindness,  and  high  character,  to  such  an  extent 
that  he  was  elected  to  the  position  of  mayor 
without  opposition,  and 

Whereas,  His  death  has  removed  a  noble  and 
fearless  official,  an  honored  citizen,  and  a  be- 
loved friend,  be  it 


OFFICIAL   TRIBUTES.  71 

Resolved,  By  the  City  Council  of  Alabama 
City,  that  in  his  death  our  city  and  entire  com- 
munity has  lost  one  of  its  truest  and  purest  citi- 
zens, and  our  Board  its  wise  and  honored  head ; 
and  that  the  enterprise  of  which  he  was  the 
founder  has  suffered  an  irreparable  loss. 

2.  Be  it  further  Resolved,  That  our  tender- 
est  condolence  be  and  it  is  hereby  extended  to 
the  bereaved  family,  and  in  this  hour  of  their 
deepest  sorrow  we  point  them  to  that  All-wise 
Providence  who  doeth  all  things  well. 

3.  Be  it  further  Resolved,  That  a  copy  of 
these  resolutions  be  spread  upon  the  minutes  of 
this  body,  a  copy  furnished  the  county  papers 
for  publication,  and  a  copy  sent  to  the  parents 
of  our  deceased  friend. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  directors  of  the  Dwight 
Manufacturing  Company,  Boston,  June  29, 1896 : 

"  On  motion  of  Mr.  Amory  A.  Lawrence,  duly 
seconded,  the  following  resolution  was  unani- 
mously adopted :  — 

"  The  Directors  have  heard  with  the  greatest 
regret  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Howard  Gardner 
Nichols,  caused  by  an  accident  while  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties  at  the  Alabama  City  Mill. 

"  We  appreciate  his  high  character,  his  indus- 
try, and  great  promise,  and  sympathize  most 
deeply  with  his  father  in  his  great  bereavement. 

"  This  resolution  to  be  placed  in  the  records." 


72  OFFICIAL   TRIBUTES. 

IN  MEMORIAM. 

H.    GARDNER    NICHOLS. 

Since  it  has  pleased  Almighty  God  in  His  di- 
vine wisdom  to  take  from  among  us  the  soul  of 
one  of  our  most  beloved  Vestrymen,  H.  Gardner 
Nichols,  a  man  most  closely  identified  with  the 
best  interests,  and  foremost  in  work  in  behalf 
of  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Comforter,  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  at  Gadsden,  Ala- 
bama, and  whose  charm  of  personality  and  chari- 
table consideration  were  so  prominently  marked  ; 
a  young  man  of  keen  intellect  and  sterling  quali- 
ties, spotless  character  and  kindliness  of  heart, 
endearing  him  to  all,  he  strove  to  advance  the 
cause  of  the  Master  in  many  ways. 

May  his  influence  not  be  lost ;  may  it  shed  a 
ray  of  hope  and  encouragement  about  us  which 
shall  brighten  the  veil  which  God  in  His  infinite 
wisdom  has  seen  fit  to  let  fall  upon  our  Church. 

Close  as  were  the  ties  which  bound  him  to  us, 
we  recognize  that  there  are  others  to  whom  our 
deceased  friend  was  held  by  still  more  sacred 
bonds,  and  it  is  the  desire  of  this  Vestry  to  ex- 
tend to  the  sorrowing  family  our  heartfelt  sym- 
pathy in  their  bereavement.  May  they,  as  well 
as  we,  feel  that  it  is  the  will  of  our  Father,  "  who 
doeth  all  things  well." 

Resolved,  That  as  a  formal  and  lasting  expres- 


OFFICIAL   TBLBUTES.  73 

sion  of  our  sorrow  at  his  sudden  and  untimely 
death,  these  humble  and  inadequate  resolutions 
be  enrolled  upon  our  minutes  as  suggestive  of 
the  love  and  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  the 
members  of  this  Vestry ;  and  be  it  further 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be 
sent  to  his  bereaved  parents. 

Otto  Agricola,  Warden. 

John  C.  Pugh.  W.  W.  Pettis. 

O.  R.  Goldman.  Geo.  W.  Bowen. 

Joseph  Balfour.  Calvin  D.  Clarke. 

On  a  recent  visit  made  by  Mr.  Nichols  to  Ala- 
bama City,  the  first  since  the  death  of  his  son, 
he  accepted  an  invitation  to  meet  the  operatives, 
at  which  time  the  following  resolutions  were 
adopted :  — 

"  We,  the  former  employees  of  the  late  H. 
Gardner  Nichols,  who,  as  agent  for  the  Dwight 
Manufacturing  Company  at  this  place,  did  so 
much  for  our  comfort  and  happiness  as  to  place 
us  under  lasting  obligation  to  him  ; 

"  And  whereas  we,  the  remaining  employees  of 
said  Company,  who  served  under  him  here,  feel- 
ing that  we  have  sustained  an  irreparable  loss  in 
his  sad  and  sudden  death,  desire  to  give  expres- 
sion to  our  feelings  of  sorrow  and  bereavement, 
therefore,  be  it  resolved,  that  we  rejoice  in  the 
presence  of  the  father  of  him  we  admired  and 
loved,  and  give  him  our  cordial  greetings  and 


74  OFFICIAL   TRIBUTES. 

sincere  welcome,  and  extend  to  him,  and  through 
him  to  his  bereaved  family,  profound  sympathy, 
and  assure  him  that  we  shall  ever  cherish  feelings 
of  gratitude  and  love  for  his  noble  son." 

It  has  been  the  effort  of  the  writer  of  this 
Memorial  to  place  before  Gardner's  friends  a 
picture  of  the  true-hearted,  honest  boy,  who  de- 
veloped into  a  noble,  fearless,  upright  man;  to 
show  him  as  he  was  to  his  family,  his  friends, 
and  those  dependent  upon  him,  and  to  do  it  with 
the  loving  simplicity  which  befits  such  a  story 
of  unselfish,  loyal  devotion  to  duty. 

In  this  connection  it  seems  fitting  to  quote  one 
striking  instance  of  the  influence  flowing  from 
his  life,  and  bearing  fruit  in  the  life  of  an  entire 
stranger. 

A  college  classmate  of  one  of  Gardner's  sisters, 
who  had  visited  the  Newton  home  and  knew  him 
well,  writes  from  her  place  of  residence  in  Illi- 
nois :  — 

"  Sunday  night,  at  our  League  service,  the  last 
person  to  speak  was  a  gentleman  about  thirty- 
five  years  of  age.  He  said,  in  substance,  '  Yes- 
terday, while  waiting  in  a  business  office,  I  picked 
up  a  paper.  It  was  a  mill  paper,  and  my  eye 
rested  upon  the  notice  of  the  death  of  a  young 
man  ;  it  told  of  the  beautiful  life  he  had  lived,  of 
his  care  for  those  under  him,  of  his  manly  noble- 
ness, and  most  of  all  of  that  Christian  character 


OFFICIAL  TRIBUTES.  75 

which  enriched  his  whole  nature.  I  read  on  and 
on,  thinking  how  such  a  life  must  have  a  force 
for  good  in  that  community.  I  do  not  know  the 
young  man,  —  he  lived  down  South ;  but  this  I 
do  know  :  reading  the  account  of  the  beauty  and 
nobility  of  that  character  has  influenced  my  life, 
and  made  me  start  out  to  strive  more  earnestly 
to  live  just  such  a  life  of  usefulness.' 

"  After  the  meeting  I  spoke  to  the  gentleman, 
saying  I  thought  I  knew  to  whom  he  referred, 
and  mentioned  your  brother's  name;  he  said  I 
was  right  —  it  was  Gardner  Nichols  of  whom  he 
spoke." 


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In  memoriam, 

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N5I3  ^Nicnolsc 


CT 

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